“There will be much to say about the role of the online social site in years to come. In more ways than a few, it has altered the production, the promotion, the market and the viewing of contemporary an for the foreseeable future. The biopolitics of the mediated world is a polymorphic authority that is constantly shifting with its own survival instinct, and many artists have sought to steal their autonomy back as both the provocative rebel (see Richard Prince’s Instagram canvases) or as the buffoon-grandpa with a taste for contemporary art (see Mark Grotjahn’s feed). DID U CUM YET is the Instagram project gone rogue. For all intents, the algorithms and recommendations performed beautifully, earning the image such titles as “white, straight, basic,” “pinhead” and “go fuck your stupid art. Seriously though.” That this has become a book, therefore, is the rogue element. Reality disenfranchised to its vivid alter ego online. An experiment asking for observations and conclusions, the event that transpired was experienced centrifugally by Richie; a swirling mayhem of voices, tags and comments that must’ve felt dizzying and disconcerting to be at the centre of. Is DID U CUM YET a poem? An abstract narrative? A transcript of a call-in radio show? Telepathy en masse? A coroner’s report? Whatever such a collection of dialogue might be called, it continues the hard work of the original in faith to its provocative simplicity, and begs the question one more time to those who felt compelled to comment on Richie’s work, if at last they have finally had the satisfaction of unloading their viscous bile.”
Excerpt from OLIVER MORRIS JONES, Nov. 2019
Richie Culver’s art works have become a phenomenon within the emerging art scene in the last two years. The artist’s autobiographical approach explores the cultural and social binaries found in the UK’s socio-political systems. His canvases, all of which are categorised into series, depict everyday scenarios that are recognised for their humour and references to popular culture. Common ‘Culver iconography’ includes greyhound racing, Princess Di, barbershop scenes, car logos and counterfeit goods from local markets. Born in Hull, Culver openly uses his experiences of growing up in the North as important material, often juxtaposed with his move to London as an adult. His exhibition ‘No one knows me like Dawn from the Job Centre’ reflects the way in which he stereotypes and often incorporates humour as a way of dealing with charged subjects that highlight the stark contrast between the South and North of the UK. Often occupied by large white space, Culver combines both abstract and figurative elements, which continue to evolve stylistically, as does his reputation as a social commentator, post-Brexit.
Words by LARA MONRO, interview for Dateagle Art, Sept. 2018
