Turner Prize winner Chris Ofili moves away from his Britart origins in this return to the National Gallery with a small show mainly of watercolours. It all hinges on a vast new tapestry, ‘The Caged Bird’s Song’, handwoven by Dovecot Tapestry Studio in Edinburgh. Reflecting Ofili’s interest in classical mythology and the stories and colour of the Trinidadian landscape that is his chosen home, the work evokes an Arcadian landscape with overtones of Gauguin and Matisse. The sublime weaving, with its flawless surfaces and palette created over two years, is the highlight that knits together Ofili’s all too rough sketches and makes for a pleasant – and free – experience of the great art of tapestry work.
Until August 28th at the National Gallery, London, UK www.ipmag.link/2oz1Fke
