Details
Paradise by Night originates from a portfolio of ten colour lithographs made by Chris Ofili in 2010 in response to ten poems. In 2005, following his move to Trinidad, Ofili’s work developed a more simplified colour palette and use of pared-down forms, rich with references to sensual and Biblical themes as well as exploring Trinidad’s landscape and mythology. Paradise by Night itself was the artist’s response to the work of a group of young poets individually commissioned to speculate on the nature of paradise by night. Harmonising spirituality, music, high art and folk art themes through a series of colour-saturated and stylised lithographs, each work appears as a hallucinatory vision paired with everyday life. Since his move to Trinidad, island life and light has had a tumultuous influence on Ofili’s work. Looser, flowing lines, luminously intense colours cast their spell over spiritual themes derived equally from biblical stories and island mythology.
Additional Information
| First Name | Chris |
|---|---|
| Last Name | Ofili |
| Artist Description | Born in 1968 and educated at the Royal College of Art, Chris Ofili now lives and works in Trinidad. Ofili came to prominence in the early 1990s with richly orchestrated paintings combining rippling dots of paint, drifts of glitter, collaged images and elephant dung – varnished, often studded with map pins and applied to the picture surface as well as supporting the canvas – a combination of physical elevation and symbolic link to the earth with a particular sensitivity to African themes. He won the Turner Prize in 1998 and over the past decade has exhibited in many international institutions. In 2003 he was selected to represent Britain at the 50th Venice Biennale, where he presented his ambitious exhibition Within Reach. He has enjoyed many major international exhibitions dedicated to his work, in early 2010, Tate Britain presented the most extensive exhibition of his work to date. |
| Edition of | 40 |
| Ed Date | 2010 |
| Inscriptions | Signed by the artist & numbered on the reverse |
| Short Technique | Lithograph |
| Sheet Size | 51 x 71cm |
| Sheet Size (Inches) | 20 x 28 inches |
| Image Size | No |
| Image Size (inches) | No |
| Technical Description | Lithograph and accompanying poem printed on 300gsm Somerset Satin paper from a portfolio title Paradise by Night, published by Leonie Booth-Clibborn under her imprint InBetween, 2010. |
| Technique Pop ups | Lithography – Means, literally, stone drawing. In addition to fine grain lithographic stones, metal plates can also be used for lithography. The method relies on the fact that grease repels water. An image is drawn in a greasy medium on to the stone or plate, which is then dampened with water. Greasy printing ink rolled onto that surface will adhere to the design but be repelled by the damp area. The inked image is transferred to the paper via a press. For large editions, the grease is chemically fixed to the stone and gum arabic, which repels any further grease marks but does not repel water, is applied to the rest of the surface. For colour lithography the artist uses separate stone or plate for each colour required. |
| Price on Application | Yes |
| Display Custom Popup | Yes |
| Custom pop up link Title | View Poem |
| Custom Popup Title | The Tempest |
| Custom Pop up Description | I came to this morning, and it was the autumn, / and the rain was falling again, just like it used to. |