The Holy Virgin Mary 1996

"The Holy Virgin Mary" is a 1996 mixed media painting by British artist Chris Ofili. The work is a bold and controversial depiction of the Virgin Mary, rendered with a black female figure and surrounded by elephant dung, a material of great cultural significance in Ofili's Nigerian heritage. This controversial use of materials, along with the artist's exploration of faith and sexuality, sparked considerable debate upon its exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum in 1999. The artwork is now on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.