Mailboxes: they are everywhere, we pass them everyday. They are such a familiar part of the urban landscape that we rarely notice them. Perhaps it’s because our interactions with mailboxes are so passive and limited: open lid, drop package, close lid. They are especially designed so we can’t see or reach what people drop inside. They are mysterious boxes, full of secrets.

Departing from this idea that mailboxes are tragically underexplored physical spaces,  Yonatan Ben-Simhon and I are building a life-sized interactive mailbox for the ITP Winter Show. Yoni has been making art with postal mail for years, so we will be showcasing many of his letters.

Below is a tiny foam core prototype of the mailbox. This one is about 5 inches tall; the real one will be about 5 feet tall and made with wood and sheet metal.