Ofili, Chris

Chris Ofili – Biography

Chris Ofili (British, born October 10, 1968), Turner Prize-winning painter and member of the Young British Artists, is best known for his inventive, vibrant works examining contemporary black experience, which draw upon a wide array of historical and cultural sources. Born in Manchester, Ofili studied in London at the Chelsea School of Art from 1988 through 1991, and received a master’s degree from the Royal College of Art in 1993. While he was a student he traveled to Zimbabwe for six weeks, an experience that significantly impacted his artistic production. One of the few YBAs of African descent, Ofili’s work was exhibited regularly by Charles Saatchi at his North London gallery.