New Post Occupancy @ Wild Child Chocolate

Exhibition Statement:

Over the course of 7 years, the artists (and business owners) have visited more than 150 New Deal era post offices across the US, focusing especially on the Northeast, Rust Belt, Upper Midwest, and Desert West. From 1933 to 1942, roughly 1,500 post offices were built by the federal government, many of which are still in operation today (learn more about the New Deal here). This expansive infrastructure project required standardized designs which were slightly adapted to the locale.

The highlight of the exhibition, a deconstructed collage presented in the main hall demonstrates the slight adaptations to a fuzzy standard that was applied on several dozen post offices across the country. Flattened collages demonstrating the range of standards used by the designers are presented adjacent to the front door and in the Herbert Street windows.

This commentary on the use of standardized designs with regional adaptations is appropriate in a chocolate factory where the raw ingredients are the same, but the recipe is adapted based on the flavor and terroir of the cacao beans; and directly across from a USPS storefront located in a former factory building.

Links to photos & info on each post office included in the collage are below

Davis Square Plaza Window #1 (Hanging digital images):