The Upper Room: Mono Verde 2002

Editor: We're looking at "The Upper Room: Mono Verde," a mixed-media work created by Chris Ofili in 2002. It feels overwhelmingly green, with chaotic yet intriguing composition, almost like peering into a dense jungle. What strikes you most about this piece? Curator: Its chromatic intensity immediately asserts itself, doesn't it? The near-monochromatic green is far from simple, though. Note the variations in tone and texture; Ofili uses these subtle shifts to create depth and complexity. How do you perceive the balance between abstraction and figuration within this composition? Editor: I see hints of figures, like maybe a person or an animal, blended in with the plant shapes. It is difficult to really make out any recognizable shapes. The entire work creates this tension. Are the 'elephant dung' feet important? Curator: Precisely. The layering of representational elements beneath a veil of abstraction. Notice the texture created using acrylic paint with other materials: The elephant dung elevates this tension. By disrupting the flatness of the picture plane, it raises formal questions about painting's relationship to sculpture and its expanded possibilities. Does that added dimension alter your interpretation of the chromatic choices at play? Editor: I see now. I am intrigued by that added dimension - and wonder about the composition on its own. Thank you. Curator: It reframes it, doesn’t it? Visual scrutiny can unlock intricate formal relationships.