Chris Ofili - Weaving Magic, National Gallery: 'An irresistible pagan altar to art'
★★★★
By Alastair Sooke
In a free display in its Sunley Room, the National Gallery presents The Caged Bird’s Song, a new tapestry designed by Ofili, suffused with a sense of magic, myth and sensuality – and, boy, is it gorgeous.
Ever since The Upper Room (1999-2002), his spellbinding installation of 13 bejewelled paintings of monkeys, displayed in a bespoke chamber designed in conjunction with the architect David Adjaye, Ofili has proved himself obsessive about the presentation of his work. Things are no different here.
Image: Chris Ofili, Balotelli (Cocktail), 2014, © Chris Ofili, courtesy the artist and Victoria Miro, London
April 25 2017
