Richard Prince's "Ripple Paintings" series, created between 2015 and 2017, occupies a unique position in his body of work, nestled between two other significant series, "Super Group" and "High Times." These paintings were inspired by Prince's collection of cartoons originally published in Playboy magazine between 1967 and 1970, a period he describes as transformative and emblematic of a cultural shift towards openness and rejection of the status quo. He elaborates on this era as a time when "the circle replaced the square," indicating a move away from rigidity to something more fluid and accepting (Gladstone Gallery).
The technique behind the "Ripple Paintings" involves an interesting interplay between watercolors and the original ink cartoons. Prince began by tearing out his favorite cartoons from Playboy issues he had collected, placing the torn pages on the floor, and then adding his own watercolor washes over these cartoons. This method of layering watercolor on watercolor allowed the paper to ripple as it dried, giving each piece a distinct texture and personality. Prince's contributions were not merely physical but also conceptual, blending his artistic interpretation with the original artwork to create something new yet deeply connected to the source material (Gladstone Gallery).
Prince's approach to the series is marked by a sense of playfulness and irreverence, characteristics often found in his work. He candidly refers to the idea behind the "Ripple Paintings" as "stupid," emphasizing a deliberate lack of common sense and a preference for intuitive, spontaneous creation over calculated design. This perspective is reflective of his broader artistic philosophy, which values the accidental and the serendipitous over the meticulously planned. The "Ripple Paintings" thus become a testament to Prince's enduring fascination with the subversive potential of humor and the power of art to challenge and transcend conventional boundaries (GalleriesNow.net).
In terms of presentation, after creating the initial watercolor modifications, Prince utilized inkjet printing, a technique he has been experimenting with since the 1980s, to translate these modified cartoons onto canvas. This process not only preserves the unique textural effects of the watercolor but also allows for a broader exploration of scale and form. The resultant works are large, vivid pieces that straddle the line between abstraction and narrative, inviting viewers to engage with both the visual spectacle and the underlying stories they encapsulate (GalleriesNow.net).
Ultimately, the "Ripple Paintings" series exemplifies Prince's ongoing exploration of appropriation and transformation within the visual arts. By drawing on popular culture artifacts and employing modern printing technologies, he crafts works that are both a commentary on and a continuation of the visual and thematic motifs found within his source material. This series, like much of Prince's work, challenges the viewer to reconsider the boundaries between original and derivative, between high art and popular culture, in a way that is both provocative and playful.