what is the meaning behind chris ofili's 'no woman no cry'?

Question

btw, i know it's also a song - i'm asking about the painting specifically, if you don't know about the painting please don't post pointless replies about the title alone

Answer 1

Pretty heavy subject. I found this:

"Taking its title from a 1974 song by Bob Marley, Chris Ofili’s No Woman No Cry (1998) is a tribute to the family of Stephen Lawrence, a London teenager who was murdered by a racist gang. Ofili’s work here becomes the starting point for a discussion about the way in which this event has become a focus for political activism, remembrance and, through Doreen Lawrence and the Stephen Lawrence Trust, ongoing change in society."

It seems literally to mean something like "Hush little baby, don't you cry." Or the timeless "Summertime" where the song is sung to a baby but everything sung is soothing and has nothing to do with reality. What else can you do BUT cry?

Answer 2

No woman, No Cry, was originally a song by Jamaican singer Bob Marley, his songs are full of references to political turmoil, opression and poverty. In this song he's consoling a woman who is crying over friends that have died and bad people who have prospered. He's saying even though he doesn't have much to eat, he'll share what he has, and even though his feet are his only transportation, he'll keep going because everything will turn out ok in the end.

The painting is probably a reference to that song, Jamaica and Nigeria both sharing political turmoil, and extreme poverty, (although probably worse in Nigeria) partly caused by British colonization.

Answer 3

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RE:
what is the meaning behind chris ofili's 'no woman no cry'?

Answer 4

it may literally be taken to mean 'woman pls don't cry'. it also represents strength of women during hard times- women don't just cry, they get on with it, do sth abt the problem.

think i prefer the second meaning

Answer 5

it doesnt mean "having no woman = having no upset"


He's actually telling the woman not to cry.

"No woman, no cry = No woman, don't cry"

Answer 6

The opposite of "got woman got cry".