Ofili puts his spin on identity for Africa 05

Turner Prize-winning artist Chris Ofili has designed the identify for Africa 05, the UK’s biggest celebration of African culture, due to launch in February next year.

Ofili was appointed three months ago to develop a logo that will brand the series of events organised by a hub of leading cultural institutions, including the British Museum, South Bank Centre, Arts Council England and more than 40 other partner organisations. Ofili was commissioned by Gus Casely-Hayford, the programme director for Africa 05.

The logo is an image of the continent that has been rotated 52 times to represent each country in Africa. The identity will run across all promotional and marketing material during the event. ‘The map has been rotated around Cape Town, the city that I feel has changed most, evolving from a pre-colonial village, to apartheid bastion, to what it is today,’ says Ofili.

‘The logo replicates the idea of Africa evolving and changing. Ofili was really keen to get involved on this project from the start,’ says Casely-Hayford.

Highlights of Africa 05 include an exhibition of contemporary African art, ‘Africa Remix’ at the Hayward Gallery in London, and a major conference held at the British Museum.

Chris Ofili studied painting at the Chelsea School of Art and the Royal College of Art.

He was awarded the Turner Prize in 1998.