Kavi Gupta ✕ Jeffrey Gibson: COVID-19 Mask Project

Kavi Gupta is pleased to offer for sale a limited artist’s edition of handmade, cotton masks by Jeffrey Gibson.

“We’re living in a time when people should be wearing masks—period. Unforeseen, my tribe, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, has been hit hard by COVID-19. We’re a small tribe based in Central Mississippi. People aren’t able to work or make income. It means a lot to me to be able to raise money to help. The mask itself—whether you’re buying it as an artwork, or buying it to be worn—it’s an object of our time,” says Gibson.

100% of proceeds from mask sales will be donated, split between the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (www.choctaw.org) to aid with COVID-19 critical care response, and to NDN Collective (ndncollective.org), an Indigenous-led organization dedicated to building Indigenous power through organizing, activism, philanthropy, grantmaking, capacity-building, and narrative change.

“When I first started to think about making masks, my first thought was to work with the materials we already have in the studio. I’ve been making these quilts and all of the fabrics have different texts. They say things like DEFEND, WE’RE DIFFERENT, LOVE, and POWERFUL. The mask design goes from ear to ear, so the words sit right under the eyes. The words vary from mask to mask. The masks are made from three panels of fabric, and have two colored cords that slip over the head and can be adjusted using wood sliding beads to tighten the mask or loosen it. There’s a little pointed area over your mouth and nostrils, beak like, so its not right up against your mouth. There is also a space inside for an insert. They’re all 100% cotton. I wanted something people could wash: hand wash, because of the beads.”

Note: THIS IS A PREORDER. Completing the preorder reserves a Jeffrey Gibson mask, made by the artist in a limited, varied edition of 100. Each mask is one of a kind. Though we can't guarantee that any special requests will be accommodated, we will do our best.

Masks will ship in 2-3 weeks. For questions or changes to your preorder, please contact the gallery at covidmaskproject@kavigupta.com.