Richard Prince's Cartoon Joke paintings, showcased in the "Richard Prince: Cartoon Jokes" exhibition at Nahmad Contemporary from November 12, 2020, to January 16, 2021, delve deeply into the realms of appropriation and satire. This collection features an array of works created between 1988 and 1991, alongside five recent pieces from his Blue Ripples series, made between 2017 and 2019. These paintings reflect Prince's continued exploration and critique of American culture, societal norms, and the concepts of authorship through the lens of popular cartoons and jokes found in mainstream magazines like The New Yorker and Playboy.

Prince's journey into the juxtaposition of cartoons with unrelated captions began in 1984, leading to the creation of enigmatic narratives that blend the macabre elements of classic American and Borscht Belt comedy. This approach allowed him to touch on various themes, including stereotypes, sexuality, infidelity, and embarrassment. The Cartoon Joke paintings from the late '80s and early '90s, rendered in vibrant, monochromatic hues, marked a significant departure from Prince's photographic work, challenging the art world's expectations with their bold, witty commentary and minimalist aesthetic. These works are characterized by their large scale and the use of silk-screening to transfer the disjointed cartoons and jokes onto the canvas, showcasing Prince's unique approach to painting during a time when expressionistic, gestural painting was prevalent in New York.

The Blue Ripples series introduces a new dimension to Prince's work, where satirical cartoons are obscured by abstract, blue pigment pools, creating a dialogue with the legacy of Abstract Expressionism. This series is notable for its process, where painterly works on paper, created by pouring paint over torn pages from Playboy magazines, are scanned, enlarged, and printed on canvas. This method continues Prince's exploration of repurposing and recontextualizing imagery, challenging traditional mediums and creation processes.

The exhibition at Nahmad Contemporary not only presented these intriguing works but was also accompanied by a comprehensive catalogue featuring scholarly texts and archival materials, providing deeper insight into Prince's innovative practice. Richard Prince's work, including his Cartoon Joke paintings, remains a pivotal examination of American pop culture, humor, and the fluidity of art's meaning and authorship​ (Nahmad Contemporary)​​ (GalleriesNow.net)​.