Afro Apparition 2003

Chris Ofili's 'Afro Apparition' emerges from a world of deep greens, reds, and charcoal blacks—it's like peering into a vibrant, nocturnal garden. I can imagine Ofili, layering these colors, almost building up a personal cosmology. The paint isn't just lying there; it’s got texture. You can tell he’s coaxing it, pushing it. I'm drawn to the large red curve. Is it a river, a road, a presence? The red pulls you across the painting, but it's also a dare – like, are you brave enough to follow? The black shapes of figures and foliage are layered on top, creating a shadowy, almost ghostly feel. The way Ofili uses color reminds me of early modernists exploring non-Western traditions, but he brings something totally new to the conversation. There's a generosity and vulnerability in the act of painting like this, laying down colors and forms and trusting the process. Artists are constantly in conversation, wrestling with the same questions across time. Each stroke builds upon what came before, pushing painting into new territories.