What I've been cooking up lateley...

This semester at the art school, I'm taking a political printmaking course, which focuses on printmaking as a means of output of a political message.  So far, we've studied prints which make very clear strong political messages, intended to be mass forms of propaganda. Mass forms of propaganda in contemporary society have become somewhat problematic.  The sheer volume of print advertisement, as well as an increased access to digital print mediums has desensitized us to this "powerful" vocabulary of propaganda. The most effective means of persuasive communication is the inverse of this visual language: instead of precise design and a straight to the point message, we are more apt to pay attention to something handmade, irregular, carrying an ambiguous message.   

My newest undertaking toys with this mode of communication.  I hand tore, and hand printed about 200 lino-cut "prayer cards" as I like to call them.  They are about 3 x 4", and have an image of hands tearing bread as well as the message "Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless; clothe the naked when you see them, and do not turn your back on your own.", which came from the Catholic scripture reading from this past Sunday.

I placed the prayer cards in strategic places around campus, both expected and unexpected.  I put them in my own church, as well as a few other christian parishes in Ann Arbor.  I also put some in the chute of an ATM, under a random car's windshield wiper, in a pop machine, and in a stranger's backpack. 
My intent was not to be creepy, or to make anyone do anything, but rather a subtle, anonymous call to action, which the viewer can choose to head, or ignore.  The cards are an anonymous call to service, devoid of denomination and origin, and attempt to recognize the duty of service which binds us together as  christians, students, or just ordinary people. 

I haven't witnessed anyone finding the cards yet, but I will be sure to stalk them and see if they actually are influenced by the message carried by the card.