Richard Prince. Cowboy - Robert M. Rubin - De Best Verzorgde Boeken

No book in this selection caused such divergence of opinion within the jury as this 484-page investigation of the archetypical American cowboy in film and (advertising) media through the rephotography and collage art of Richard Prince. ‘A showy book’ was one jury member’s verdict; a ‘great adventure book’ according to another. The fact that Prince started out in the cutting-room at media conglomerate Time Inc. clearly influenced both his artistic work and this book. Collage, design imitating the lay-out of magazines, the visual language of (Marlboro) advertisements. At the back of the book there is a section on glossy paper containing Prince’s own ‘Cowboy works’. Once again we have a cover without typography on front or back. Instead, the title is placed running around the spine and the three trimmed sides of the book block, blocked out of the image which is also ‘pulled’ around the sides. Unnecessary, some jury members thought; a sound decision in the opinion of others. Finally, the fans won the day.