* Challenging Religious Iconography: Ofili deliberately uses religious imagery and symbols, but in a way that subverts traditional depictions of the Virgin Mary. Vključuje elemente, kot so slonji iztrebki, ki v mnogih kulturah veljajo za tabu, figuro pa postavi v provokativno in spolno sugestivno pozo. This challenges traditional religious beliefs and provokes discussion about the nature of faith and representation.
* Race and Identity: Ofili is a Black artist, and his work often explores themes of race and identity. The Virgin Mary in this piece is depicted as a Black woman, which can be seen as a reclaiming of religious imagery by people of color. This challenges the predominantly white representation of religious figures in Western art.
* Sexuality and Power: Vključitev slonjih iztrebkov in provokativna poza Device Marije se pogosto interpretirata kot komentar o razmerju med spolnostjo in močjo. Nekateri trdijo, da Ofili izpodbija tradicionalno povezovanje čistosti in nedolžnosti z Devico Marijo ter poudarja kompleksno in včasih protislovno naravo ženske spolnosti.
* The Role of the Artist: By using unconventional materials and techniques, Ofili challenges traditional artistic boundaries. Trdi, da mora biti umetnost prostor za spraševanje in raziskovanje zahtevnih tem in da ne sme biti omejena z verskimi dogmami ali družbenimi konvencijami.
It's important to note that "Holy Virgin Mary" is a very subjective work, and different viewers will interpret it differently. Nekaterim se bo morda zdel žaljiv ali nespoštljiv, drugi pa ga bodo morda videli kot močno in k razmišljanju spodbudno raziskovanje vere, identitete in umetnosti. Ultimately, the theme of the work is left open to the viewer's interpretation.