Victoria Miro is pleased to announce the opening of a new gallery in Venice. The inaugural exhibition is Poolside Magic by Chris Ofili. The exhibition comprises a suite of pastel, charcoal and watercolour works on paper, which are being shown together for the first time. Poolside Magic, in which a man in coat-tails serves a naked woman beside a swimming pool, riffs on themes of sexuality, mutability, magic and the occult, making reference to the vibrant and sensuous landscape and culture of Trinidad, where the artist lives and works. Source material for the series includes a photograph of Trinidadian artist Boscoe Holder (1921 – 2007) at work in his Port of Spain studio. Opening during the Vernissage for the 57th Venice Biennale, the exhibition marks a return to the city for the artist. Ofili represented Britain at the 50th Venice Biennale in 2003, when he presented his ambitious exhibition Within Reach, and in 2015 a suite of Ofili's paintings were included in All The World’s Futures, the 56th International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, curated by Okwui Enwezor. Chris Ofili’s exhibition Weaving Magic is at the National Gallery, London from 26 April to 28 August 2017.
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Edition
Posted
November 23 2021
Greek Myths – a print portfolio by Chris Ofili
Now available to purchase, a suite of nine Giclée prints by Chris Ofili, presented in a portfolio case with a special cover hardback edition of Greek Myths: A New Retelling by Charlotte Higgins. -
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Exhibition
Posted
January 7 2020
The Tokyo 2020 official posters, featuring work by Chris Ofili, go on view at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo
Chris Ofili's The Games People Play is among commissioned works by leading contemporary artists. The works are on view at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo from 7 January–16 February 2020. Tokyo -
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Exhibition
Posted
January 16 2019
Black Refractions: Highlights from the Studio Museum in Harlem at the Museum of the African Diaspora
This major traveling exhibition (16 January–14 April 2019) features works by Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Isaac Julien, Wangechi Mutu, Chris Ofili and Howardena Pindell. Museum of the African Diaspora, San Francisco, California -
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Feature
Posted
May 6 2018
As part of its Contemporary Classics series, Elephant writes about Black Hands, Chris Ofili’s clock commission for PEER
'Black Hands provides a welcome moment of contemplation on a busy London street, and takes a unique approach to the notion of public art.' Holly Black, Elephant -
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News
Posted
December 12 2017
Adrian Searle selects Chris Ofili: Weaving Magic as one of his Top 10 Art Shows of 2017
'Ofili turned a room at the National Gallery into an idyll.' Adrian Searle, The Guardian -
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Exhibition
Posted
November 9 2017
Now open: ICA Miami, featuring an installation of paintings by Chris Ofili
Ofili’s extended-run installation will evolve over the course of its duration (1 December 2017 – 27 October 2019), with works being added and/or subtracted over time. Miami, Florida -
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Review
Posted
July 15 2017
Imagine… Chris Ofili: The Caged Bird’s Song reviewed in The Telegraph
'His thoughtful ruminations on the genesis of his design trod that fine line between lifting a veil on the artistic process and letting the mystery be.' The Telegraph Jasper Rees -
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Screening
Posted
July 13 2017
Imagine… Chris Ofili: The Caged Bird’s Song
The hour-long programme follows the creation of Ofili's tapestry, The Caged Bird's Song, currently on display at the National Gallery. BBC Two -
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News story
Posted
July 4 2017
Frieze reports on the return to Tate Britain of Chris Ofili’s Union Black
Ofili's Union Black, gifted to Tate Britain, will be flown from the museum's roof this autumn. Frieze -
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Review
Posted
May 13 2017
Jackie Wullschlager selects Chris Ofili: Poolside Magic as one of her Venice highlights
"This delicate series about metamorphosis and transformation… is good enough to call to mind Picasso’s Vollard Suite." Jackie Wullschlager, The Financial Times -
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News story
Posted
May 10 2017
Victoria Miro Venice opens with an inaugural exhibition by Chris Ofili
Victoria Miro is pleased to announce the opening of a new gallery in Venice. The inaugural exhibition is Chris Ofili: Poolside Magic (10 May - 8 July 2017). -
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Review
Posted
May 10 2017
Artnews reviews Chris Ofili: Poolside Magic at Victoria Miro Venice
'If you are in Venice right now, drop what you are doing and go see Poolside Magic.' Andrew Russeth, Artnews
