There are a number of factors about Chris Ofili's work I really admire and inspire me. First of all the use of elephant dung in this work. When I saw Chris' work in an exhibition in Tate Britian over 2 years ago I was compelled by the non conventional use of materials and how he had made the elephant dung so beautiful and relevant to his practice. His paintings are so rich, colourful and exotic and have many layers which add more depth. The monkey canvases were displayed seperately in their own temple/shrine, if you like and this is something I would really like to recreate in my exhibition that I will hold in March/April this year. I really want to create a sacred place where the audience feel that they are experoiencing something great or sacred. I think much of this can be achived bt the room settings, the lighting and the way I position my objects . Over the next few weeks I want to concentrate on the type of characters/god like figures that I want to represent in this way.

'The Upper Room' consists of thirteen paintings displayed in an environment especially designed by the architect David Adjaye. When it was first publicly exhibited in 2002, critics commented on the chapel-like qualities of the space and its lighting. The arrangement of twelve canvases flanking a thirteenth larger one suggests Christ and his Apostles, and the arrangement has an extraordinary sensory effect.

Chris Ofili

The Upper Room 1999-2002

                                    © Courtesy Chris Ofili - Afroco and Victoria Miro Gallery