Chris Ofili's work is transformed into a tapestry at The National Gallery in London
2017
April 26 – August 28
Weaving Magic presented an exquisite handwoven tapestry entitled The Caged Bird's Song. The work reflects Chris Ofili's interest in classical mythology and contemporary "demigods" as well as the stories, magic, and colors of Trinidad, where he has lived since 2005. Commissioned by the historic British Clothworkers' Company, the tapestry was made in collaboration with Dovecot Tapestry Studio in Edinburgh. The exhibition also included a series of preparatory works on paper in an installation conceived by the artist for the Gallery's Sunley Room. The tapestry will go on permanent display in the Clothworkers' Hall in London.
Ofili says, "The Caged Bird's Song is a marriage of watercolour and weaving. I set out to challenge the weaving process, by doing something free-flowing in making a watercolour, encouraging the liquid pigment to form the image, a contrast to the weaving process." The Telegraph's review of the exhibition states, "The Caged Bird’s Song is a sumptuous monumental tapestry in which Ofili's painterly skills have been almost miraculously translated into thread to present a lush, limpid scene in which the arcadian landscapes of classical mythology are given a contemporary, tropical twist."
Metamorphosis: Titian 2012, Ofili's previous exhibition at the National Gallery, presented costume and set designs created in collaboration with the Royal Ballet. The project was based on Titian masterpieces depicting stories from Ovid's epic poem Metamorphoses: Diana and Actaeon, The Death of Actaeon, and Diana and Callisto.
Read more about Weaving Magic in The Guardian and The Observer.