The formal contours of ‘mail art’ developed in the 1960s through the work of pop collagist Ray Johnson and the New York Correspondence School. Autumn Wetli, undergraduate collections librarian at U-M's Shapiro Library, and Mariah Cherem, production librarian at the Ann Arbor District Library, have added a contemporary spin. They are asking ‘mail artists’ to create and send postcards to their future selves, expressing the emotions and experiences of these challenging times. The art (sampled here) will be compiled into a book as part of the Artists’ Books Collection in the Book Arts Studio at the U-M Library. (Click on each image to enlarge.) Submit your mail art by Sept. 30.  

Enjoy Ann Arbor from the rare vantage point of an autonomous drone as the team in Michigan Photography fires up its little flier to capture these unusual shots. (Captions sourced by Claudia Larochelle.)

The streets of Ann Arbor are mostly deserted of late, but East Liberty’s Graffiti Alley is bursting with life. This ever-changing canvas offers a real-time record of our collective experience – in vibrant, vivid color. Black Lives Matter is summer 2020’s dominant theme. (Images: Deborah Holdship; captions sourced by Angelina Brede.)

Every Wolverine has a story about meeting a fellow grad in some far-flung location, all because of the iconic Block M on a cap, a shirt, or a bag. But even here at home, one  might be surprised to learn how many Block Ms are hiding in plain sight. (All images by Michigan Photography.)

COVID-19 may have forced 2020 graduation ceremonies to go virtual but proud Michigan Wolverines, their families, and loved ones still celebrated this milestone in resilient “Go Blue!” style. These jubilant images were posted at #mgograd on Instagram. They are reposted with permission.

The streets of downtown Ann Arbor are mostly deserted these days. But signs of life, resilience, and hope can be found wherever you look. (All images were taken by a masked D. Holdship on Saturday, 4/11/20.)

Never have we ever needed to escape the harsh realities of modern life more than now. The Bentley Historical Library holds a vast postcard collection spanning the centuries. We pulled these sweet missives to "Papa," "the Boss," and "Aunt Gertrude" from a bygone era in U-M history. Hugs.

The Environmental Action for Survival (ENACT) Teach-in on the U-M campus in March 1970 predated the first national Earth Day demonstration in Washington, D.C., on April 22, 1970. Undergraduate researchers working with the U-M History Labs Project produced an online exhibit titled 'Give Earth a Chance.' The project explores the burgeoning environmental movement on the U-M campus, in Ann Arbor, and across the nation some 50 years ago. U-M's 2020 Teach-In for the Environment runs March 9-14; several of the original organizers will speak on the history and legacy of the movement. (Images courtesy of U-M's Bentley Historical Library.)    

Sitting Bull. Geronimo. Red Cloud. These are some of the famous historical Native American figures featured in a newly acquired collection of photographs at the William L. Clements Library. Images in the Richard Pohrt Jr. collection date between 1860 and 1920. The vintage prints -- many of which come from original negatives — feature more than 70 different First Nations. This video dives much deeper into the collection. Fascinating stuff. Click on any image to enlarge.