Juana Urrea Arango

The 14th Street Postcard Landmark Project

I made this set of postcards to represent landmarks in space as well as in time. They were made through historical research, firsthand experience, a series of walks, and the collection of others’ stories on 14th street.

Now that COVID-19 is distancing us from each other and being out in public, this archive has shifted and taken on a new meaning, asking what memory and place mean when we’re kept at home.

As an archive of memory on 14th Street in New York City, they’re an amalgamation of:

– Recognizable physical landmarks that help us find our way, icons that represent a specific space: The building that is taller than the others, that has been there forever, and helps you orient yourself. The historic building where all the tour groups stop.

– Landmarks of where a story took place, making them significant for an individual: That coffee shop where my friends had all of her Tinder dates. That pizza place you barged into and begged to use the bathroom.

– Landmarks in time, where the memories of the ‘what’ overshadow the ‘where’: Where you were when you heard that a loved one was sick, etc…

Each envelope includes:

Six postcards

One stamp

One label with my address on it

A prompt asking the receiver to share them with whomever they want, or mail one back to me sharing a memory of a place they’re now away from

If you are interested in, or want to participate in the project, please e-mail me at juanaua@me.com.