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Estadi Olimpic

Zinc Etching
1992 (printed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This is one of a series of prints by Chris Ofili, inspired by Barcelona using a self-hallucinatory style of drawing. Ofili, born in Britain of Nigerian parents, is portraying an essentially European city through a deliberately Afrocentric eye, causing us to reflect on the way European artists, such as J. F. Lewis and David Roberts, portrayed the 'Orient' in the 19th century. Although the images appear abstract at first, the lines resolve into patterns suggesting Baroque buildings, Renaissance sculpture and other forms as indicated in the individual titles.

Ofili was also influenced by his travels to Zimbabwe in 1992, where he experienced African culture for the first time. He visited the Matapos Hills and saw cave paintings which had been made by an artist in a semi-hallucinatory state induced by drum rhythms. Ofili attempted that same style in Barcelona later that year, finding a different spot in the city every day and drawing without looking up or pausing until the plate was complete.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Titles
  • Estadi Olimpic (assigned by artist)
  • To T. from B. with L (series title)
Materials and techniques
zinc etching on paper
Brief description
Chris Ofili: Estadi Olimpic (from To T. from B. with L), 1992
Physical description
zinc etching print on paper
Dimensions
  • Plate height: 25cm
  • Plate width: 19.6cm
  • Sheet height: 37.7cm
  • Sheet width: 28.2cm
Production typeLimited edition
Copy number
1/10
Marks and inscriptions
  • Ofili 19/12/92 Estadi Olimpic (Etched at bottom of plate with signature, date and title. Signed with artist's initials and numbered, in pencil, at bottom of sheet.)
    Translation
    Olympic Stadium
  • C0 (Signature; pencil)
  • Guell Park (Maker's identification; printed; etching)
  • 18/12/92 (Date; printed; etching)
  • 1/10 (Maker's identification; pencil)
Credit line
Given by the Artist
Production
Ofili had the proofs for this suite and the impressions numbered '1' of the editioned suite printed in Spain but sets 2 to 10 of the editioned plates were printed in London.
Subjects depicted
Place depicted
Summary
This is one of a series of prints by Chris Ofili, inspired by Barcelona using a self-hallucinatory style of drawing. Ofili, born in Britain of Nigerian parents, is portraying an essentially European city through a deliberately Afrocentric eye, causing us to reflect on the way European artists, such as J. F. Lewis and David Roberts, portrayed the 'Orient' in the 19th century. Although the images appear abstract at first, the lines resolve into patterns suggesting Baroque buildings, Renaissance sculpture and other forms as indicated in the individual titles.

Ofili was also influenced by his travels to Zimbabwe in 1992, where he experienced African culture for the first time. He visited the Matapos Hills and saw cave paintings which had been made by an artist in a semi-hallucinatory state induced by drum rhythms. Ofili attempted that same style in Barcelona later that year, finding a different spot in the city every day and drawing without looking up or pausing until the plate was complete.
Associated objects
Collection
Accession number
E.684-1993

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Record createdDecember 6, 2006
Record URL
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