The Adoration of Captain Shit and the Legend of the Black Stars (2nd Version) 1998

Chris Ofili created "The Adoration of Captain Shit and the Legend of the Black Stars" using a mix of materials including paint, glitter, resin, and, most notably, elephant dung. Ofili takes a traditionally revered format – the iconic religious image – and subverts it. The layering of materials and the painting process itself are crucial here. Notice how the glitter catches the light, lending an almost devotional quality, even though the imagery is deliberately provocative. The elephant dung, besides its shock value, is central to the work's meaning. It connects the painting to the earth and to the realities of life. The laborious and painstaking application of these materials speaks to the amount of work involved in Ofili's production process. The artist challenges our assumptions about what is considered ‘high’ art and demands that we consider the social and cultural contexts that inform all creative expression.