Yupppp! I just got my Kafka Card in the mail today! It’s a new multiple by William Pope.L to benefit Skowhegen. More info below; Skowhegan’s press release, though, is maybe a tad euphemistic–Pope.L’s text on the back is not an uplifting message to artists; it’s Pope.L doing what Pope.L does best: poke your comfort zones.

Skowhegan is proud to announce the release of

KAFKA CARD by WILLIAM POPE.L

William Pope.L (Alum ’96; Resident Artist ’04) has generously worked with members of the Skowhegan Alliance to create an edition, Kafka Card, that is specially priced within the budget of young and emerging artists (and available to everyone). All proceeds from Kafka Card will support Skowhegan’s program and the initiatives of the Skowhegan Alliance.

Pope.L’s card plays off the idea of the legendary American Express “black card.” (Though the black card began as an urban legend, American Express later capitalized on its aura to create its own credit card with almost unimaginable benefits, available only to the most elite and powerful.) In contrast, Pope.L has created Kafka Card. This “credit” card has the image of a tsunami on the front, and on the back is a manifesto for artists to attack life, take risks, and otherwise brave the storm. The text includes humorous extensions of personal data in a world mired in a credit crisis. In addition to a signature, cardholders are asked to provide a dab of blood, pet’s sex, and a DNA sample, as well as the bank account number of a “rich dead relative.”

Kafka Card is packaged within a Hallmark-style gift card featuring the “President” (Pope.L wearing an Obama mask) holding his own oversized Kafka Card.

Edition size: 500

GENERAL PUBLIC PRICE: $30 per card (+ $3.50 shipping/handling per order)
SKOWHEGAN ALUM PRICE: $25 per card (+ $3.50 shipping/handling per order)

Price for both alumni and the general public will be raised after the first 250 cards are sold.

Limit 5 cards per person.

TO PURCHASE

CLICK HERE and select “OTHER AMOUNT” in the dropdown donation field on Skowhegan’s support page.

Enter the appropriate total for the number of cards you wish to order on the PayPal page:

GENERAL PUBLIC PRICING
1 card: $33.50
2 cards: $63.50
3 cards: $93.50
4 cards: $123.50
5 cards: $153.50
(prices above include shipping and handling)

ALUMNI PRICING
1 card: $28.50
2 cards: $53.50
3 cards: $78.50
4 cards: $103.50
5 cards: $128.50
(prices above include shipping and handling)

All cards in an order will be shipped to a single address. Please let us know if your shipping address is different from your billing address.

WILLIAM POPE.L
is a prominent multidisciplinary artist known for his conceptual, often performance-based art practice, which actively confronts issues of race, sex, power, consumerism, and social class. As the self-proclaimed “friendliest black artist in America,” Pope.L invites dialogue through provocative performances, installations, and art objects. He is best known for a series of more than 40 “crawls” staged since 1978 as part of his larger eRacism project, in which he inched his way through busy city streets on his belly, back, hands, and knees in an attempt to draw attention to the plight of those members of society who are least empowered.