Within Reach 10. Dance Stance 2003

This work by Chris Ofili called, “Within Reach 10. Dance Stance,” is rendered in graphic red and black with gold leaf. I can just imagine Ofili in his studio, the smell of the materials, the way the light catches the surface... The way he lays down these colors, it’s like he’s figuring out how to describe the world in the simplest way possible. There’s a kind of joy in that directness. Look how the gold sits on top of that red, adding this layer of richness, of maybe even preciousness to the work. I see Ofili’s love for Matisse and Bearden in this piece, how they made paintings that sang with color and feeling. And that dance stance, the curve of the bodies, it suggests a movement, a rhythm, something shared between the figures. This work is a reminder that art doesn’t just sit still, it lives and breathes.