Artist steals Instagram photos and sells them for $100K at a gallery in New York

Right now you can purchase someone's Instagram photo for around $100,000. The money won't go to the photographer, however, it will go to "artist" Richard Prince, who has blown up and made prints of other people's Instagram photos for his series titled "New Portraits."

According to Petapixel, "Prince is notorious in the art world for taking other people’s work, 'appropriating' them as his own with various changes, and then selling them for large amounts of dough." And no, he did not get permission for these prints, which are screenshots of the images with one addition from Prince, "a short message [he] posted as the last comment on each one."

Artnet addressed the exhibit in a piece titled "Richard Prince Sucks," In an image, he writes under young singer-songwriter Sky Ferreira's portrait of herself in the passenger seat of a red sports car: 'Enjoyed the ride today. Let's do it again. Richard.

One Instagram in the show was taken by DoeDeere, who posted an image from the show earlier this week, adding:

"Figured I might as well post this since everyone is texting me. Yes, my portrait is currently displayed at the Frieze Gallery in NYC. Yes, it's just a screenshot (not a painting). No, I did not give my permission and yes, the controversial artist Richard Prince put it up anyway. It's already sold ($90K I've been told) during the VIP preview. No, I'm not gonna go after him. And nope, I have no idea who ended up with it!"

DIY Photography notes that Prince has been "rephotographing" since the 1970s, and if anyone does go after him, it won't be his first time in court. In the past, however, he's won, since his work (including these Instagrams) falls under fair use.


The Gagosian