WHIPPIN’ DEMOCRACY INTO SHAPE… ONE POSTCARD AT A TIME

DEVO frontman Mark Mothersbaugh and conceptual artist Beatie Wolfe have resurrected their non-partisan Postcards for Democracy initiative just in time for the 2024 election.

Launched in 2020, the project demonstrates the power of art and community to convey the importance of democracy and voting rights. People are encouraged to illustrate their own postcards and send them in to be used in a future installation and book assembled by Mothersbaugh and Wolfe.

“I understand people’s frustration,” Mothersbaugh tells HITS. “Democracy has been having a dysfunctional moment the last 15 or 20 years, and it's at odds with capitalism. Mostly, they both support each other, but there are also certain people with the capitalistic mindset who seem to think less democracy is a good idea.”

Wolfe adds, “I think a lot of people just feel so powerless, almost like they really don’t have a voice and whatever they do won’t do anything. The thing that is lovely about Postcards for Democracy is all the different voices and expressions. It really is quite beautiful and uniting.”

Mothersbaugh, who's been making postcard art since the 1970s, marveled at the success of the first run of the project, which netted more than 40,000 submissions.

“We've just been asking people to be active,” Mothersbaugh continues. “Think about what's going on. Think about what's out there and what the choices mean. Think of what freedom of choice is. You don’t want to lose that.”

Postcards for Democracy held two pop-events in L.A. Tuesday (10/22), one at CalState and another at ASU California Center Broadway. On Friday (10/25), they’ll take over dublab studios for a special radio broadcast 9-10am PT and head to Pasadena next Tuesday (10/29) for another pop-up (details forthcoming).

For the latest information, head here. Send your postcards to the address below while we try to combat the further de-evolution of society.

Postcards for Democracy
8760 Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069