Chris Ofili (b. 1968) Untitled (Afronude), 2007 Watercolor and graphite on paper 24 7/8 × 17 1/8 in. The Studio Museum in Harlem; gift of Chris Ofili - AFROCO 2007.18
Wearing vibrant makeup and jewelry, the subject of Untitled (Afronude) exudes a bold elegance and sense of glamour. Her undulating curves, combined with bluish shadows, suggest the movement of the body. Using amorphous lines, faint contours, asymmetrical patterns, stylized features, and luminous colors, Chris Ofili critiques mainstream definitions of beauty in art history—which are often associated with the white body—and creates new images of the Black body to replace stereotypical representations of people of African descent.