Chris Ofili: Afro-Margin

Published on the occasion of CHRIS OFILI’s exhibition at David Zwirner in New York, this beautifully designed limited edition catalogue consists of 500 copies, numbered and signed by the artist, and documents a new body of work titled Afro Margin. 

Known primarily for his bold, large-scale paintings, this exquisite suite of eight pencil drawings, made from 2004 to 2007, reveal Ofili to be a master draughtsman. In this elegant series, the artist confronts the idea of “the margin.” A mainstay of his drawing practice, Ofili employs his tiny “afro head” figures into linear schemes that address the physical space of the paper, some times drifting toward the edges, some times hovering near the center. 

These reproductions have been created by master printer Robert Hennessey in lush tri-tone, capturing the fine detail of the drawings. The catalogue includes texts by Inua Ellams, a poet, writer, teacher and performer based in London and Cameron Shaw, a writer and critic living in New York.