Pope.L (born William Pope; June 28, 1955 – December 23, 2023), also known as William Pope.L, was an American visual artist best known for his provocative performances and interventionist public art. However, he also produced art in painting, photography, and theater. While centering on themes such as gender and race, his works explore the systems, conflicts, and beliefs inherent to our society and culture. Pope.L studied at Pratt Institute and Montclair State College, where he received a BA in 1978. He also participated in the Independent Study Program at the Whitney and received an MFA in 1981 from Rutgers University. First occurring on the streets, his performances have been exhibited at many significant institutions, including the Anthology Film Archives, Franklin Furnace, Just Above Midtown, Museum of Modern Art, New Museum, Performa, The Sculpture Center, the 2002 Whitney Biennial, MIT and Mobius in Boston, and MOCA Los Angeles. He was also a Guggenheim Fellow and a recipient of the Creative Capital Visual Arts Award.