Richard Prince's Monochromatic Joke Paintings, created between the late 1980s and 1990s, signify a pivotal moment in his exploration of humor and art. These works consist of one-liner jokes, typically found or invented by Prince, presented on monochromatic canvases. The series stands out for its innovative fusion of text and visual art, where the simplicity of the jokes contrasts with the complexity of their presentation and the underlying themes they explore.
Prince began incorporating jokes into his artwork in the mid-1980s, initially hand-writing gags on small pieces of paper and selling them at modest prices. This initial foray into joke art was reflective of his broader artistic strategy of appropriation, repurposing everyday elements from American culture to challenge notions of originality and authorship. By 1987, this exploration evolved into the Monochromatic Joke Paintings, where Prince employed a more systematic approach, using silkscreen to apply classic one-liners onto flat, monochromatic backgrounds. This method allowed Prince to subvert traditional abstract painting by mixing elements of high and low culture, thus questioning the separation between them.
The Monochromatic Joke Paintings juxtapose humor with the serious business of art making. The jokes, often absurd or nonsensical, are rendered with a deadpan sensibility, inviting viewers to find deeper meaning—or perhaps the lack thereof—in their simplicity. This series also dialogues with the work of Color Field painters and Pop-Art predecessors, notably through the use of bold text against solid backgrounds, enhancing the visual impact of the words and highlighting Prince's interest in the optical potential of art.
An exhibition at Skarstedt Gallery in 2018, titled "Early Joke Paintings," offered a dedicated look at these works, underscoring their significance within Prince's oeuvre and the broader context of American art. This exhibition spanned pieces from 1988 to 1992, providing insight into Prince's creative process and the evolution of his thematic concerns during this period.
The Monochromatic Joke Paintings are emblematic of Prince's ability to navigate and critique the intersections of popular culture, art history, and the commercialization of art. Through these works, Prince continues to provoke contemplation on the role of the artist and the value of art in a commodified society, all while maintaining a sense of humor and irreverence that is uniquely his own (The Art Story) (Skarstedt) (Skarstedt).