A Philly-made USPS mailbox that danced outside Convention Center will go into Smithsonian
A Philly-made USPS mailbox that danced outside Convention Center will go into Smithsonian
July 8, 2021
One of the cardboard U.S. Postal Service mailboxes that danced outside the Convention Center as election votes were being counted in November will be featured in the Smithsonians National Museum of American History in Washington.
The mailbox puppets created and designed by Spiral Q, an organization that uses art, puppetry, and street theater to advocate for equity and inclusion were a viral sensation as all eyes were on Philadelphia to finish counting its mail-in ballots in the 2020 election.
Spiral Q, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit founded in 1996, is known for its larger than life papier-mâché puppets, banners, and signs used for educational purposes and in local protests and parades. The small organization, run by Jennifer Turnbull and Liza Goodell, was thrilled to see its work recognized by the country, and now the museum.
https://www.postaltimes.com/postalnews/a-philly-made-usps-mailbox-that-danced-outside-convention-center-will-go-into-smithsonian/
According to a news report, one of the mailbox puppets was shipped off to the Smithsonian this past April. They had originally been using them as part of a voter education drive.
The below shows 5 of their puppets - their 3 mailboxes, a Philly City Hall, and a White House jamming to Missy Elliott's "Get Ur Freak On" (they also constructed an eagle that was out and about another day) -
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Josie Ensor
@Josiensor
Ballot boxes dancing to Missy Elliot is how Philadelphia is doing right now
7:23 PM · Nov 5, 2020
The below was Spiral Q's little video blip of their work (2 of the mailboxes) jamming to Robin S's "Show Me Love" -
There was an interview done with the company's co-founders on the local Fox 29 TV station -
https://www.fox29.com/video/953488
More on them -
http://www.spiralq.org/
Jennifer Turnbull (co-founder)
Liza Goodell (co-founder)
Congrats to Spiral Q for making history and representing Philly!