Community Responds with Art Against Mailboxes as Canada Post Ignores City Council

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 29, 2015.

Community Responds with Art Against Mailboxes as Canada Post Ignores City Council

Garden installations ‘All that has value’ by internationally renowned artist Ron Benner

London City Council has taken a position against the implementation of so-called Community Mail Boxes in our community.  Passed 13-0 by Council Tuesday evening, the resolution calls on Canada Post " to delay further implementation of Community Mailboxes in the City of London" until requests for information regarding public consultation have been met, as well as other conditions.

From one of Ron Benner's art garden installations (Halifax, 2013)

Despite this request from our city government, Canada Post continues to install concrete pads in neighbourhoods in London in preparation for the installation of Self Serve Mail Boxes (SSMBs).  Londoners are naturally resisting these unwanted incursions into our communities.  Neighbourhood actions are springing up around the city. From block parties (like the one on Talavera Crescent that began on Tuesday and continues today) to community gardens and boulevard beautification projects, Londoners are protecting community spaces from this steam-rollering Crown Corporation and its cuts to vital services.

Londoner  Ron Benner, an internationally renowned visual artist and activist is participating in this community initiative by creating garden-art installations at various sites around London.  The title of his work ‘All that has value’ recalls a Mexican artist who stated : "All that has value was then counted as nothing” after the conquest of Mexico City in 1519.

The artists’ gardens (4x6 feet and 4x8 feet) include plants native to the Americas which is part of his continuing research and work into First Nations’ farming practices and plants that are significant to today’s economy and food culture around the world. Benner sees this intervention of the garden onto the site of the concrete pads intended for the postal boxes as part of our community’s “Save door-to door” (londoners4door2door.blogspot.ca) campaign to maintain mail delivery. ‘These gardens are in solidarity with Canadian postal workers as well as our community’s concerns for safe, secure mail delivery service in our neighbourhoods,’ comments Benner.

The first art garden installation will occur Wednesday July 29 starting at 7 :30 pm, and the second on early Thursday morning, July 30.  Ronner Benner will be on hand for comment at both locations.

For locations and other details contact:
Wendy Goldsmith                   wendygoldsmith21@gmail.com                           519 281 3978

David Heap                               david.heap@gmail.com                                          519 859 3579

More info at: londoners4door2door.blogspot.ca

Ron Benner is a visual artist and activist based in London, Ontario. His photographic/garden Installations As the Crow Flies can be viewed at Museum London overlooking the Thames River (2005-on-going) and Cuitlacoche (2012- on-going) at Hart House, University of Toronto. His works are in numerous public collections. He has exhibited across Canada, and internationally, most recently in China, 2014.

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Londoners for Door to Door

people4door2door@gmail.com   londoners4door2door.blogspot.ca Twitter: @PPL4Door2Door