Richard Prince's Instagram Series Sparks Controversy Over Appropriation and Market Value

Richard Prince's Instagram series, featuring pigment prints on canvas of screenshots from the app with his added comments, has ignited widespread criticism for appropriation. The works were displayed at the Frieze Fair in May and at Gagosian's Davies Street location in London starting June 12, while a show titled 'Original' closed at Gagosian's Madison Avenue location on June 20. Critics, including many on social media, have accused Prince of theft and sexism, with some calling for lawsuits and questioning the $100,000 price tags. Artcritical contributors Kurt Ralske and David Carrier, along with others like Paddy Johnson and Peter Schjeldahl, have analyzed the work, noting its place in art historical contexts of appropriation from figures like Sherrie Levine, Andy Warhol, and Marcel Duchamp. The controversy touches on fair use, as seen in the 2009 lawsuit Cariou v. Prince, where photographer Patrick Cariou initially won but the ruling was overturned on appeal. Selena 'Missy Suicide' Mooney of SuicideGirls sold replicas of Prince's work for $90 in a publicity stunt, donating proceeds to charity. The debate extends to structural inequities in the art market, with few women artists able to command similar prices, and broader issues of digital culture where copying is endemic. Prince's method involves minimal alteration, echoing practices in meme culture and historical copying, raising questions about originality and the role of art in a commodified market.