About the Artist: Carl Pope

Carl Pope’s strongest artistic influence continues to be his high school photography teacher, Donna Hostettler, who endorsed the notion that art is an effective tool for positive change. His multi-media investigations of the socio-economic landscape of Indianapolis were shown at prestigious venues, including the Museum of Modern Art and the Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago, and have received generous support from the Guggenheim Foundation, the Lilly Endowment and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Pope's work gained international exposure in “Black Male” at the Whitney Museum of American Art. In 1996, Pope enrolled in the MFA program at Indiana University and expanded his conceptual concerns to include an investigation of the self. The initial excursions into his internal landscape produced the video/text installation “Palimpsest” commissioned by the Wadsworth Anthnaeum with funds from the Warhol and Lannan Foundations. “Palimpsest” was also included in the Whitney Biennial 2000.

With Pope’s most recent projects using billboards and letterpress posters, he continues his ongoing exploration into inner space. “I am navigating the inner realm of memory and the emotions to find ways to create epiphany within the imagination of my audience.”

• Artist Statements and Previous Work:
• “The Bad Air Smelled of Roses”
• “A Celebration of Blackness”
• Critical Reviews of Carl Pope's Work
• The National Cityscapes Conference
• Carl Pope's Resume (PDF)

Joint project sponsored by the Cleveland Institute of Art and the Baker-Nord Center for the Humanities, Case Western Reserve University, with additional support from the Cuyahoga County Public Library.

© 2008 Carl Pope, Case Western Reserve University, and The Cleveland Institute of Art. All rights reserved. Site Credits.