Princefest at the ICA

Let’s go crazy! It’s Princefest at the ICA – superstar, cultural icon, fashion subversive, filmmaker, virtuoso musician, multi-ethnic sex God – Prince is a phenomenon. His output defies categorisation and his life remains enigmatic.

Princefest is part of a new series of programming investigating the cultural impact and creative processes of uber-influential musicians – individual artists whose practice is rooted in music but encompasses other art forms including film and performance. Cultural pioneers who inhabit the space between great art and popular culture – producing groundbreaking work that attracts mass popularity and enters the mainstream.

From 14-15 December we’ll be colouring the ICA purple (not literally, it’s a listed building…) to survey Prince’s artistic impact – with screenings, talks, Q&As and live music performances. Prince is remarkable, as Matt Thorne, author of Prince says: ‘No one will ever have a career like Prince – his incredible range of ability across so many creative disciplines; we will not see his like again.’

So, Prince fans and Revolutionaries, let’s enjoy it while we can, because in the words of Prince ‘life is just a party, and parties weren’t meant 2 last’.

Tom Wilcox is the associate curator of Princefest, 14-15 December 2012.

  • Gabi

    The Prince Fest was very insightful and actually quite fun! Thank you for that ICA. My only complaint would be about the lack of female presence in the 19 guitarists play Purple Rain event. It would be nice to have seen at least one woman guitarist sharing her perspective on the Prince.

    • Tom

      Hi Gabi, I agree – we asked as many woman guitarists to play as we could but none of them could/would do it. There were 4 female singers in the performance. Thanks very much for coming to PrinceFest and for your comments. Tom (Associate Curator, ICA)