View from Top Sagrada Familia
Zinc Etching
1992 (printed)
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.
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 |
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Materials and techniques | zinc etching on paper |
Brief description | Chris Ofili: View from Top Sagrada Familia (from To T. from B. with L), 1992 |
Physical description | zinc etching print on paper |
Dimensions |
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Production type | Limited edition |
Copy number | 1/10 |
Marks and inscriptions |
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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 |
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Collection | |
Accession number | E.681-1993 |
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Record created | December 6, 2002 |
Record URL |
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