Welcome to the realm of Postmaster Wanda, an octopus tasked with the many duties of keeping a mailroom and post office functioning. This diorama exists in a hidden location in Seattle, installed in a non-functioning parcel locker.

Heroes Work Here, 2024

Sign with patriotic colors and stars that reads 'Heroes Work Here', featuring the United States Postal Service eagle logo and the message 'Thank You Postal Workers'.

Created as a tribute to USPS postal workers, Heroes Work Here (2024), borrows its title from a poster I saw hanging at my local post office branch. When a friend reached out asking if I would like to install a miniature scene in a long-broken parcel locker in his neighborhood cluster mailbox, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. Creating a post office in miniature is such a satisfying experience, with all those little envelopes, forms, boxes, tiny compartments and shelves, mailroom posters, the hazmat staging area, the subtle weathering… It really began to feel like a miniature portal to me.

I wanted to portray the scene accurately, so I gathered a lot of information before I started building. I went to my local branch for inspiration and consulted with USPS workers for tips on realism. (It is illegal to photograph USPS mailrooms, so I was very grateful for the information workers shared with me about details like flatpack strips and rubber bands being all over the mailroom floors.) The whole research process was really enjoyable!

I divided the diorama into two parts: On one side is an endless hallway filled with post office boxes, and on the other is Mailroom 113400, where the very busy Postmaster Wanda works hard to sort mail and packages. As an octopus with eight arms she is particularly suited to this work. I added an interactive element, knowing this would be a spot at eye level for smaller people who might enjoy pushing buttons. When the button is pushed, the mailroom lights up and the hallway falls under an infinity mirror illusion. This adds to the effect of an endless system of connected rooms, portals placed all around the city. It is my goal to add more “portals” across Seattle, so if you know of special spots that would accommodate discreet displays, please get in touch!

Artist Statement

Decorative orange octopus sculpture with tentacles wrapped around mailboxes in a postal office.
Photograph of a small room with a large poster of a woman with long blonde hair on the left side and an octopus model with orange tentacles inside the room. The room contains shelves, cartons, and various posters on the walls, with a clock showing ar
A large octopus sculpture wearing a police cap inside a small room filled with books and posters, viewed through a glass display case in a subway station.
A long, narrow corridor with a tiled floor and blue lockers lining both sides. The ceiling has a series of rectangular light panels, with some light coming through clouds or a window, creating a dimly lit atmosphere.
Apartment mailboxes with 16 compartments, some locked and one open showing magazines and mail, set on a concrete base beside a grassy area, with bushes and trees behind and in front of a multi-story house.
A gray metal mailbox with individual compartments labeled 15 and 16. The mailbox has a small glass window revealing a decorative octopus inside, attached to a small work area with a
A collection of sealed packages and envelopes, mostly white with blue and black printing, and some yellow envelopes, stacked and arranged in a corner against a plain white wall.
Close-up of a hand holding a small box with a barcode and a Bright yellow sticker on top.
Multiple small drawers filled with various labels and packages, likely for organizing small items such as hardware or supplies. Newly added flyers or promotional material for a dog bite awareness campaign are pinned above.
A mailroom with mailboxes on the left, a gray door marked 'MAILROOM 113400' in the center, a clock above the door, and various posters and notices on the walls.
A hallway with a gray mailroom door marked 113400, a wall clock showing approximately 9:11, and bulletin boards with various notices and posters on the wall. There are also some metal racks or carts in the foreground.
A miniature octopus sculpture with orange and pink hues, featuring detailed tentacles with suction cups, placed among packages and mailboxes in a miniature environment.
An orange octopus wearing a police cap is inside a mailbox with mail. The mailbox is filled with packages and letters, with some packages on the floor.