Postcard for SOCHI 2014, made a couple days before the Olympics are to begin, feeling that safety is the most important message right now, a sort of prayer or energy of hope and protection.
Want to support the athletes who have trained so hard to compete in the Winter Olympics?
Want to send a message of support to the LGBT people of Russia?
Not happy with Vladimir Putin's human rights abuses?
If the enclosed images “strike a chord” with you consider posting or passing on. (Just right click on image, choose "copy", "paste" or "save as".) This would be very helpful especially if you have international friends via your online network(s).
My hope is that the more people who take an interest, (perhaps being inspired to make postcards of their own; even setting up another “Postcards to Putin” website), the more the message will be sent to Putin that even though he has a position of power, the consensus is that he fosters the abuse of human rights, and all of us who may not be in positions of power to do something about this, can still make a statement, an appeal to his conscience, that he is encouraging bad things to happen to others and, ultimately, doing wrong.
Since my initial posting of this image I have heard from a lovely person named Jessie G. over at Change.org. She provided me with the following helpful links:
http://loveletterstorussia.tumblr.com/
If you are on twitter we are@LoveLtrs2Russia
Change.org:https://www.change.org/petitions/love-letters-to-russia-send-a-post-card-to-president-vladmir-putin-end-russia-s-anti-lgbt-law
Tumblr:http://www.tumblr.com/blog/loveletterstorussia
Apparently, in addition to a petition she began, she has been working on the active sites above hoping to at least let the LGBT people of Russia know that others are keeping them in their thoughts and prayers.
To contact Putin online visit http://eng.letters.kremlin.ru/ though I have a discouraging sense that the art/message would just get chucked.
My sentiment is that if we can make art and at least post it online so it is out on the World Wide Web where anyone can see it maybe that will bring some hope to the LGBT people of Russia (and elsewhere).
Here is President Putin’s mailing address should anyone like to write to him:
Mailing address:
Mr. Vladimir Putin
President of the Russian Federation
23, Ilyinka Street,
103132, Moscow, Russia
As Jessie G. writes on her Change.org page, “It only takes a few minutes to send a postcard. Remember that Russia has very harsh penalties against GLBTQ “propaganda” and you should avoid using the names of your Russian friends and family so we do not cause them any additional hardship. Also, check your postage rates. It’s $1.10 to send a standard sized international postcard or letter from the U.S.“
Thank you.
http://collagist.org/photo/postcard-to-putin
Site URL: http://postcardtoputin.shutterfly.com/
To add your own images:
Site Email Address: postcardtoputin@sfly.com
Want to send the work as a free online postcard?
Visit: http://www.artpostcard.com/artist/8755/stephen_mead.cfm
http://www.artpostcard.com/postcard/969_264316/trial-run-1-message-from-stephen-mead.cfm#/?t=full
http://www.artpostcard.com/postcard/970_505444/trial-run-2-message-from-stephen-mead.cfm#/?t=full
Postcard to Putin on Weebly: http://postcardtoputin.weebly.com/
