Richard Prince: American Prayer at the Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris
All the myths of the ages
Celebrate symbols from deep elder forests”
-An American Prayer, The Doors
For Richard Prince, art is the overarching essence of the universe--it’s all he has. And he believes it’s all we have left in society.
Art in theory has become our only modern domain of sanctification. Prince, a painter, impressive art collector, and advocate of the phenomenon of “rephotography,” has an exhibit in Paris at “La Bibliothèque Nationale de France.”
After being inspired by such visionary rock heroes as Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, and Bob Dylan, Prince named the exhibit “An American Prayer” after Jim Morrison’s famous book of poetry and the Doors’ last studio album. The display includes his remarkable collection of rock, pop, and funk memorabilia. In Price’s distinct style, it’s apparent that his artistic trend of “rephotography” has developed into not only a type of reproduction but a creatively sophisticated renovation.
Of course, playing in the background of the exhibit was the music of Mr. (Lizard King) Morrison.
Richard Prince made a career out of collecting the very thing he creates: art. His recent exhibit in Paris reveals his passion for the prosaically defining music of the 60’s and 70’s, along with this love for the likes of Kerouac’s liberating style and Rimbaud’s eternal prose.
A technicolor museum of sorts, the show is littered with rare manuscripts of Burroughs, Cocteau, and Genet. “An American Prayer” very much resembles a satirical yet mythical materialization of an American culture full of cowboys, cigarettes, guitars, hippies, fast cars and pornographic magazines of the last 50 years.
If American society was defined by its “things,” you would find these “things” that symbolized, shaped, and altered the American ideal and lifestyle in this exhibit. “An American Prayer” runs until June 26.th Prince also has another display at “La Galerie Gagosian” in Paris.
BIBLIOTHÈQUE NATIONALE DE FRANCE (BNF)
SITE FRANÇOIS MITTERRAND
Quai François-Mauriac
75013 Paris
Keep it loud
