CIRCA 1986 Redux
Rick Prol: A Retrospective Look

S.O.S., 2009, Acrylic on canvas, 30 x 46 inches

Rick Prol: Born: 1956, New York, NY. Cooper Union, BFA, 1980, also studied at New York Studio School, 1975-76. Currently lives and works in New York City.

Rick Prol started showing his work in 1982, during the heyday of the East Village art scene of the 1980s. The East Village scene embraced the idea of a community of experimental artists living in and thriving off of the grittiness and cultural richness of the area.

Prol quickly became an icon of the era, known for his dark yet vibrant, cartoonish descriptions of fantastical murder and mayhem in the rat-infested urban jungle. Prol's paintings incorporate various styles including Art Brut and Expressionism, laced with various art historical references and laden with sincere depictions of the urban human condition.

In addition to painting, Prol's studio practice includes work in a variety of media such as sculpture, drawing, installation and writing. Prol writes "My work is a form of self portraiture and is a kind of prophesy-voodoo, it is strongly influenced by my surroundings but only as a starting off point. My intent is for a universal message."

Termed as a "Veteran Master of Gothic Angst" by Edward Leffingwell of Art in America, March, 2004, Prol has exhibited widely over the years, as well as curated exhibitions including East Village A.S.U., 2004, at the B-Side Gallery in the East Village, in response to the exhibition East Village U.S.A. at the New Museum, in New York.


Video produced by Jim Ormond

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