Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo and singer-songwriter Beatie Wolfe have launched a new project to support the beleaguered United States Postal Service, and support voting rights. To join Postcards for Democracy, a "collective postcard art demonstration," buy stamps, design a postcard, and mail it to 8760 Sunset Blvd, CA 90069-2206. The postcards will become part of an art installation, which will be exhibited physically and virtually.
Here's more from Mothersbaugh and Wolfe about the project:
Artistic visionaries Mark Mothersbaugh & Beatie Wolfe share a love of tangible artforms, in and amongst their futuristic explorations.
In light of the threat to our 225yr old postal service, at a time that could jeopardize the democracy of the country, Mothersbaugh and Wolfe join forces for this collective postcard art demonstration.
The aim of this campaign is to encourage as many people as possible to support USPS (at this critical time), our right to vote, and democracy as a whole via the power of art. The demonstration asks you to buy USPS stamps, design your postcard and then mail it to 8760 Sunset Blvd.
The postcards will become part of a collective art piece - presented in both a physical gallery and virtual space - art directed by Mothersbaugh and Wolfe.
"The post office is one of this country’s oldest institutions," Mothersbaugh writes. "Since 1775 we have relied on and trusted the USPO to connect us, to hold safe our documents, personal thoughts or objects of vital importance until they reach their intended destination. The threat now facing the USPO seems to shake our foundation and challenge rights that have, up until now, have been inherent. The fact that this has happened in this country not only needs to be documented but it needs to be questioned and commented on. What better way than to use the very system of the USPO as proof of concept that if we protest through art and connection, we not only capture this moment, we create a movement and we preserve it for posterity."
"Lockdown has reminded me of the joy and importance of physical correspondence so showing our support for this vital institution (USPS) at this crisis point is paramount," Wolfe says. "And what better way to do it than via the power of art."
Mothersbaugh and Wolfe have also shared some of their own postcard designs for the project:
See more of their designs on Postcards for Democracy.
Meanwhile, Mothersbaugh recently described his harrowing battle with COVID-19, which he's thankfully recovered from.
