American artist Richard Prince’s exhibition of Instagram photos on display at Gagosian‘s Madison Avenue space have caused a celebrity Twitter spat. The particular works created by Prince are causing an internet stir. The master of appropriation who is already known for using Instagram as a site for finding and ‘Re-locating’ his celebrity appropriations, was recently kicked off the social media site for posting an image of his 1983 work ‘Spiritual America’ – an appropriated photograph of a nude Brook Shields as a child – ‘re-used’ by Prince.
The artist has recently been appropriating celebrities Instagram posts and printing them on canvas, ‘Re-photographing’ them and then posting them anew to his own feed with #regram. This culminated with the inventor of ‘Re-photography’ selling this latest series of works; the Instagram-inspired #regrams, in a private VIP area at Gagosian‘s Madison Avenue gallery.
Now MoMA chief curator Klaus Biesenbach who is no stranger to Instagram has taken to Twitter after reviewing the exhibition on his own Instagram page. Though Biesenbach liked the work;, he also had suspicions regarding the enduring relevance of Prince’s ‘Re-grams’.
The curator stated: “I was ready to not like the exhibition of @richardprince4 but I have to admit I was impressed by it,” Biesenbach continued. “I wonder about the longevity of their fascinating presence though.”
In response actor James Franco responded with a comment, in support of Prince’s Longevity.
“As with all things Prince has done, they will fade, become dated, and return back with the same ferocious nostalgia that seems to be almost intentionally observed as some preordained ritual,” Franco chipped in.
The exhibition at Gagosian includes inkjet prints of these latest ‘Re-creations’ by the artist on 48-by-56 inch canvases, and Prince’s commentary at the bottom of the works. Comments by the artist that are often only emoticons. The work includes Pamela Anderson, Candice Swanepoel, and Kate Moss pictures that are reportedly going for up to $100,000.