Mail boxing etc

You're referring to the fascinating world of mail art, mailboxing, and postal art!

Mail art, also known as postal art, is a form of art that uses the postal system as a medium. It involves creating and sending artworks through the mail, often in the form of postcards, letters, or packages. Mail artists use various techniques, such as collage, drawing, painting, and sculpture, to create unique and often unconventional pieces.

Mailboxing, on the other hand, refers to the act of sending mail to a specific address, often with the intention of creating a collection or archive of mail art. Mailboxes can be physical locations, such as a post office box or a mailbox in a public space, or virtual locations, such as an email address or a digital mailbox.

Some common practices in mail art and mailboxing include:

  1. Mail art exchanges: Artists send and receive mail art with other artists, often as part of a collaborative project or as a way to connect with others who share similar interests.
  2. Mail art networks: Artists join online communities or networks to share and trade mail art, often with a specific theme or focus.
  3. Postal art projects: Artists create large-scale projects that involve sending mail to multiple recipients, often with a specific theme or message.
  4. Mail art exhibitions: Artists curate exhibitions featuring mail art, often in physical spaces or online platforms.
  5. Mail art archives: Artists and collectors create archives of mail art, often to preserve and document the history of the medium.

Some notable examples of mail art and mailboxing include:

  1. Ray Johnson's "New York Correspondence School" (1950s-1980s): Johnson, an American artist, founded a mail art network that connected artists from around the world.
  2. The "Mail Art Movement" (1960s-1980s): A global movement that emerged in the 1960s, characterized by the exchange of mail art between artists and the creation of mail art networks.
  3. The "PostSecret" project (2005-present): A project that invites people to create and send anonymous postcards with secrets or confessions, which are then shared online.

Overall, mail art and mailboxing are fascinating examples of how art can be created and shared through the postal system, often blurring the lines between art, communication, and community.