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Richard Prince

Canal Zone

May 8–June 14, 2014
980 Madison Avenue, New York

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Installation video

Installation view Artwork © Richard Prince. Photo: Rob McKeever

Installation view

Artwork © Richard Prince. Photo: Rob McKeever

Installation view © Richard Prince. Photo: Rob McKeever

Installation view

© Richard Prince. Photo: Rob McKeever

Installation view Artwork © Richard Prince. Photo: Rob McKeever

Installation view

Artwork © Richard Prince. Photo: Rob McKeever

Installation view Artwork © Richard Prince. Photo: Rob McKeever

Installation view

Artwork © Richard Prince. Photo: Rob McKeever

Installation view Artwork © Richard Prince. Photo: Rob McKeever

Installation view

Artwork © Richard Prince. Photo: Rob McKeever

Installation view Artwork © Richard Prince. Photo: Rob McKeever

Installation view

Artwork © Richard Prince. Photo: Rob McKeever

Installation view Artwork © Richard Prince. Photo: Rob McKeever

Installation view

Artwork © Richard Prince. Photo: Rob McKeever

Installation view Artwork © Richard Prince. Photo: Rob McKeever

Installation view

Artwork © Richard Prince. Photo: Rob McKeever

Installation view Artwork © Richard Prince. Photo: Rob McKeever

Installation view

Artwork © Richard Prince. Photo: Rob McKeever

Works Exhibited

Richard Prince, Graduation, 2008 Collage, inkjet, and acrylic on canvas, 72 ¾ × 52 ½ inches (185 × 133 cm)

Richard Prince, Graduation, 2008

Collage, inkjet, and acrylic on canvas, 72 ¾ × 52 ½ inches (185 × 133 cm)

Richard Prince, James Brown Disco Ball, 2008 Collage, inkjet, and acrylic on canvas, 100 ½ × 154 ½ inches (255.3 × 392.4 cm)

Richard Prince, James Brown Disco Ball, 2008

Collage, inkjet, and acrylic on canvas, 100 ½ × 154 ½ inches (255.3 × 392.4 cm)

Richard Prince, Cheese & Crackers, 2008 Collage, inkjet, and acrylic on canvas, 91 ½ × 140 ¼ inches (232.4 × 356.2 cm)

Richard Prince, Cheese & Crackers, 2008

Collage, inkjet, and acrylic on canvas, 91 ½ × 140 ¼ inches (232.4 × 356.2 cm)

Richard Prince, Back to the Garden, 2008 Collage, inkjet, and acrylic on canvas, 80 × 120 inches (203.2 × 304.8 cm)

Richard Prince, Back to the Garden, 2008

Collage, inkjet, and acrylic on canvas, 80 × 120 inches (203.2 × 304.8 cm)

Richard Prince, The Canal Zone, 2007 Mixed media on homosote, 48 × 82 ¾ inches (121.9 × 210.2 cm)

Richard Prince, The Canal Zone, 2007

Mixed media on homosote, 48 × 82 ¾ inches (121.9 × 210.2 cm)

About

The Canal Zone Paintings.

I was born in the Canal Zone in 1949. Same year that George Orwell’s 1984 was published. Why the Canal Zone? My parents worked for the government, specifically for the OSS. I don’t remember much about Panama. The family moved to Braintree, Mass., twenty minutes south of Boston in 1954. The town had just built twenty-seven houses. All the same. It was called a “development.” The house was put up in like five days. It wasn’t made very well but it was brand new. Everything was “brand new.” The place we were in was called the suburbs.

“I Like Ike.”

I didn’t like Ike. And I didn’t like Mamie, his wife either. I liked TV, magazines, and movies. I liked game shows. ‘Truth Or Consequences.’ ‘Who Do You Trust.’ ‘What’s My Line.’ ‘You Bet Your Life.’ Groucho Marx hosted ‘You Bet Your Life.’ I wanted to be related to Groucho Marx.

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