On the last post, some of you wondered what kind of objects can be sent through mail. Well, here’s a cool project that tests the limits of postal services (and their patience too!): To Mr. Cheng.
Artist Eric Ericson, from Sweden, spent a few years sending all kinds of unwrapped objects through the mail: food, a skeleton, a baby doll, books, vinyl records, a pair of glasses, individual playing cards… you name it.
The result is a fascinating minimalist website and book (published in Sweden but we hope they make it available in Amazon soon!).
Here’s what the artist had to say on a recent interview with Wired magazine:
Wired.com: You have previously published books of letters, for example one where you sent letters with odd ideas to authorities, like asking a Swedish municipality if it could host a North American Indian tribe. Why are you so fascinated by letters?
Ericson: Sending things is a fun way to communicate, and I love the seriousness in letters. I mean, you would never receive a lawsuit by e-mail. There is something about letters, especially nowadays when they are getting more and more rare, and we’re communicating in other ways instead.
20 comments so far
wow. i will try it.
Wait, did they actually get delivered??? Wow. Makes you wonder why my simple little postcards can't even get properly delivered then.
OMG! And I thought I had seen enough weird things in my life! :D This is super!!!
This is the most frightening thing I have ever seen. I love it.
It used to be possible to send a whole coconut unpackaged, just a mail label and postage attached. In the 1990s a friend did send one to her US grandkids from Tonga. But I think the US postal service no longer allows that.
this is soooo über-cool! Im actually amazed to see that the post offices had allowed sending things like this. I honestly would never have the guts to come to the post-counter and hand in something as the above...they already think im weird enough for sending huge piles of mail :)
But this is amusing and i would love to see more of this project in the future!
this is soooo cool!!.....
This is really funny. I wonder what the postman who had delivered the skull thought of his 'delivery'. I would feel real weird if I were to deliver something like that.
fantastic!!
Really funny! I've also tested to send some thinks but not so big ones. A piece of toast e.g. or a cd. It works!
In France, this is called "mail-art". A lot of artists and poet send such "art of work". Congratulations Mr Cheng.
I once sent 20 oz. soda bottles filled with confetti and streamers, a small house (3D) a rubber stamped image on cardstock that was colored & cut out and folded into shape...oh and a pair of groucho glasses. There were 12 bottles sent across the states to some music fans on the 'Net. Everyone loved 'em.
I'm feeling like I need to send something "unusual"..:)
I once received a plastic water bottle filled with confetti and a bunch of odd and ends with a letter. Best mail I've ever gotten.
In Poland you would not manage to run this project - they do not accept mail that is not wrapped in paper. Nice idea anyway ;)
Cool idea!!! Unfortunatelly not possible in Portugal, as no unpackaged item gets accepted, except postcards, of course!!!
Oh, I have to buy this book, sounds fun!
As mentioned above, Eric Ericsson has written books about/with letters, before he "wrote" Mr Cheng. They are called "Brev till samhället" (Letters to society) and "Brev till utlandet" (Letters to abroad). They are both great and really funny and I'm sure you will love them if you like sending/receiving things like letters and postcards (and don't we all here like that?:)
The first one is in Swedish and it's about Eric Ericsson sending strange letters to organizations and companies in Sweden asking wierd things. It's hilarious.
The second one is the same thing, but in English. This time, he is sending letters to companies and organizations outside Sweden. One of the funny things in both of the books are to read the answers from the people he sends the letters to.
Even if "Brev till utlandet" is in English (no idea to write letters in Swedish to people abroad...), I'm not sure if it's sold outside Sweden. But if you are living in Finland, Norway or Denmark you can buy it online (adlibris).
obviously a man with too much time on his hands.
I hate staples.Ever handled a parcel and ripped your hand open.Ever had to dry mail out because someone sent a liquid or something in substandard packaging.spare a thought to those who handle this stuff on a daily basis.Just a thought if your post office is an unfriendly sort of place try get to know them you may be the ice breaker.if that doesn't work find another post office.....
Crazy O_O,I can't believe that some post offices actually send these objects!!!Is Mr.Cheng going to use all this :D
super! surprised! funny :-)
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