Castell Harlech 15.9.96 1996

Curator: This is Chris Ofili's "Castell Harlech 15.9.96", a print from 1996 currently held in the Tate Collections. Editor: It feels like a dreamscape, almost hypnotic with its repeating starburst patterns. The bars break the flow, adding tension. Curator: The title references Harlech Castle, a medieval fortification in Wales. These aren’t just abstract patterns, they could represent the castle’s defensive structure, abstracted through Ofili’s unique vision. Editor: It's interesting to think about that defensive structure, transformed into something so intricate and, dare I say, beautiful. The pattern has the feel of a protective shield. Curator: The visual language of protection is powerful here, even if presented in such a seemingly delicate form. It makes me consider the psychological weight such structures carry. Editor: Absolutely. It’s a reminder that even in abstraction, art can reflect and reinterpret history and our shared cultural anxieties.