Spiritual America and Richard Prince

Spiritual America and Richard Prince

Gary Grossman took a photograph of Brook Shields when she was ten.

In her study of the work of Richard Prince, Brooks (2003) discusses the re photographing of Gary Grossman’s photo of Brook Shields. “The ten year old Shields is naked, standing  provocatively in a luxurious bath tub, her outstretched arms resting on its sides. Her body is oiled, like that of a porn star and her face is made up to look like that of a young woman. Swirling steam rises up to her knees while semi-abstract Moore-like sculptural figures decorate the foreground and background . the angle of the photograph is an upward shot, which pornographically transforms the child into a woman-as-goddess-as-slut.” (Brooks et al, 2003, p53). This is an image from google that has had the colour edidted probably to make it more savoury.

Brooks (2003) explains that when Prince decided to re photograph and exhibit the photo,” timing was everything”. Despite Brooks mother originally giving Grossman permission to take the photo, she was now attempting to stop  its publication. Prince had read the story in the New York newspapers, and  quietly established a “gallery” entitled Spiritual America on the Lower East Side, placed the re-photographed picture in a gold frame, and opened the exhibition to the public by appointment only.  

 I find this difficult to understand as a piece of ar.> To me the border line with child pornography has been crossed.  Whatever arguments Prince uses to justify this photo somehow representing all that is wrong with America in terms if consumerism, vulnerability, etc , somehow  I can’t get away from the fact that this is just exploitation of a child. 

Reference List

Brooks,R.,  Rian, J., Sante,L  (2003) Richard Prince London: Phaidon Press LImited