Jason Eppink has gone and done it. First, he started a water gun fight in a museum, and now he’s taken the beloved Kickstarter art project to a whole new — and very meta — level. He’s not fundraising for a project, he’s not gathering money for some event, he’s not even using Kickstarter … yes, Eppink has launched an art project called Kickbackstarter — emphasis ours — which is designed to help him fund the projects of all his friends.
It’s a dilemma we can all relate too. Soo many awesome Kickstarter projects, soo little time. And if you don’t think so, then you should take a look at Hyperallergic’s awesome curated Kickstarter page.
Well, Eppink has figured out his own solution to everyone always asking him to help him fund their project, first fund his.
I interviewed Eppink about his cleverly titled Kickbackstarter. But first, his video appeal, which is, of course, a staple of any Kickstarter or Kickbackstarter project.
Hrag Vartanian: Why so meta?
Jason Eppink: Good question!
HV: No really, why?
JE: Ah, you’re not going to let me get away with that joke. Okay: the abstraction and absurd logic of the campaign allow us to examine the system itself.
HV: Come on admit it, do you love or hate Kickstarter?
JE: Yikes, I’m not sure I can answer this without enraging someone on either side of the debate. Some of my best friends are on Kickstarter! I will note that the amount of money raised on Kickstarter is about to outpace NEA spending on the arts.
HV: Kickstarter … good or bad for visual art?
JE: I think we could all agree that more money for good art is good, and more money for bad art is bad, so answering this question requires knowing what percent of visual art funded on Kickstarter is good or bad, but I don’t have those numbers in front of me at this time.
HV: Has there been a Kickstarter project you ever regretted supporting?
JE: On principle, I’ve never supported a single Kickstarter project! I’m not sure what that principle is, exactly. But now! Now I’ve got money burning holes in my pockets! Who has Kickstarter projects they want funded?
