“Helter Skelter” Exhibition by Fondazione Prada Opens in Venice: Arthur Jafa and Richard Prince
The large-scale exhibition “Helter Skelter: Arthur Jafa and Richard Prince” has opened to the public at the Venetian palazzo of Fondazione Prada. Curated by the renowned art scholar Nancy Spector, the project will run until November 23, 2026.
For the first time in art history, “Helter Skelter” explores a unique creative dialogue between two iconic American artists of different generations—Arthur Jafa (b. 1960) and Richard Prince (b. 1949). Both artists are united by a radical approach to appropriation and the manipulation of mass culture imagery.
Spanning the first and second floors of the palazzo, the exhibition is built upon a series of thematic and conceptual counterpoints. The artists engage with the visual code of the United States—ranging from pop culture, Hollywood films, YouTube videos, and social media to comic books, rock posters, and newsreels.
Arthur Jafa focuses on African American identity, reimagining Black cinema and visual art.
Richard Prince balances between a critique of white masculinity and an exploration of the darker underbellies of the American psyche.
“This exhibition reveals a specific vernacular belonging within the US—a country forever stained by the history of slavery; a country defined by its brilliant musical traditions rooted in Black culture; a country of protest, subcultures, religious spirit, and the cult of celebrity,” notes curator Nancy Spector.
Review: Julia Brosko.
Photos: Official press kit of Fondazione Prada.
