Richard Prince's Early Photography exhibition at Gagosian London examined through lens of facial recognition technology
The exhibition 'Early Photography, 1977–87' by Richard Prince at Gagosian's London locations presents his re-photography alongside 'The Entertainers' at Davies Street. It includes altered promotional images such as 'Criminals and Celebrities' (1986), which address concerns about ownership and privacy. These issues relate to Clearview AI, a US company that has amassed 30 billion facial images without consent and is currently facing lawsuits in the US, UK, and EU. Kashmir Hill's book 'Your Face Belongs to Us,' published in September 2023, explores Clearview, while Jill Walker Rettberg's 'Machine Vision' connects historical figures like Alphonse Bertillon to contemporary AI. Prince's works, including 'Bitches and Bastards' (1985–86), encourage contemplation on commodified identities, echoing themes from Kate Crawford's 2021 'Atlas of AI.' Recent legislation in the US and UK aims to address AI safety and privacy concerns.
Key facts
- Richard Prince's 'Early Photography, 1977–87' exhibition is on view at Gagosian's Grosvenor Hill gallery in London
- Clearview AI has scraped 30 billion facial images from the internet without consent for machine-learning training
- Kashmir Hill's book 'Your Face Belongs to Us' was published in September 2023 investigating Clearview AI
- Jill Walker Rettberg's 'Machine Vision' was published in September 2023 exploring algorithmic vision from mugshots to AI
- Prince's re-photography technique involves appropriating images from magazines and advertisements using what he calls an 'electronic scissor'
- Clearview AI faces lawsuits in multiple US states, the UK, and the EU for biometric privacy violations
- Recent legislation in the US and UK establishes AI safety and security standards focusing on privacy and equity
- Prince's work includes series like 'Criminals and Celebrities' (1986) and 'Bitches and Bastards' (1985–86) that categorize images based on visual traits
Entities
Artists
- Richard Prince
- Alphonse Bertillon
Institutions
- Gagosian
- Clearview AI
- Aperture
- Purple magazine
- The Verge
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- United States
- European Union