Richard Prince's solo exhibition "New Portraits" is currently on view at the Harajuku gallery "BLUM & POE Tokyo." It runs until May 30th.
Richard Prince is a New York-based photographer whose work dates back to the 1970s, pioneering the practice of repurposing existing images excavated by mass media and advertising to create new works. Beginning with his first exhibition at the National Center for Contemporary Art in 1988, he has held solo exhibitions at numerous museums, including the Whitney Museum of American Art, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, and Kärnsthaus Bregenz. He has also participated in the São Paulo, Whitney, and Venice Biennales.
The "New Portraits" series, which Prince will be showcasing, is a collection of numerous photographs and comments collected while roaming Instagram. The approximately 20 works presented here are stripped of the users' desire for self-exhibitionism and voyeuristic desires, appearing as if they were products of the medium itself.

Of particular note are the numerous comments Prince himself has posted on social media. The addition of incoherent words, jokes, quotes, oxymorons, and emojis points the portrait in a new direction. Painting and photography, image and text, copyright and freedom of expression merge here, replacing "intervention in others' posts" with "the act of conceiving a work of art." In this way, the portrait is attempted to elevate Prince's work.

This is Prince's first exhibition in Japan in 20 years. It promises to be a rare opportunity to witness in person his life's work, "exploring the medium of photography."

【Event Information】
Richard Prince "New Portraits"
Venue: BLUM & POE Tokyo
Address: 5F Harajuku Jingu-no-Mori, 1-14-34 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Dates: April 3rd to May 30th
Time: 11:00 to 19:00
Closed: Sundays, Mondays, and public holidays