Richard Prince, a key member of the Pictures Generation, is arguably best known for his significant contribution to the development of the notion of appropriation as an artistic strategy, perhaps nowhere best illustrated than in his Cowboys, a series of “re-photographs,” which he started producing in 1981. Beyond the conceptual dimension of this approach and the question of what constitutes photography which lies at its heart, this body of work also raises the issue of the construction of a mythology as an element of collective memory and identification. The cowboy is a solitary hero, dominating an untamed world, riding in the great outdoors; a symbol of freedom and masculinity. He is an idealised figure which like John Wayne, will figure prominently on the silver screen; the cowboy is an inherent part of an American iconography that will be widely used in advertising.

The early eighties also mark the start of Prince’s exploration of the world of books when he began self-publishing short fiction and picture-dominated artist’s books featuring images of his work remixed with texts and the work of other artists. Since then, books have come to play a central role within the practice of Prince who is an avid book collector himself.

The exhibition Richard Prince, A Book Guy curated by Christophe Daviet-Thery and organised by Marc Jancou Contemporary brings together an impressive selection of titles both by and on Richard Prince, including artist’s books, out of print catalogues and rare monographs, with a focus on the figure of the cowboy throughout the artist’s oeuvre.

To coincide with the exhibition at the Saanen Vitrine, Switzerland, Marc Jancou Contemporary is making available sevaral lists of titles available to purchase, of books both in and out of print. 

To request the lists of selected titles available to order please email us at office@marcjancou.com