Stamps
Sustainability
A major issue on a small format. Encompassing the environment, economy, social affairs and art, sustainability is an extremely diverse and multifaceted issue. All of this can be discovered in a playful way on the new Sustainability special stamp.
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The special stamp is the result of a design competition organized by Swiss Post in conjunction with the Bern University of the Arts.
22 highly dedicated students in their second year of the Visual Communication course were given the task of presenting various dimensions of sustainability in a positive and appealing way in a stamp design. After learning and testing various creative techniques, they worked in groups to create extensive visual worlds. All the students then continued the work individually, with close support from their lecturers Jimmy Schmid and Andreas Netthoevel. The result was 22 varied, astonishing and highly original designs, from which the best eight were selected and presented to the Stamp commission in the final round.
Carole Kiechl’s design was declared the winner. The stamp is designed to encourage people to complete the word search – both before sending and after receiving letters. As well as the already circled word “HELVETIA” and the face value “100”, there are 24 other German, French and Italian words related to sustainability to be found. How many can you find?
15 September 2020 – Briefing for students by Swiss Post at the University of the Arts Bern. Photo: Andreas Netthoevel
15 September 2020 – Visit and tour of the Museum of Communication, Bern. Photo: Andreas Netthoevel
21 September 2020 – Lecture on sustainability by Dr. Eva Spehn (University of Bern) at the University of the Arts Bern. Photo: Andreas Netthoevel
21 September 2020 – Introduction to creative methods by lecturers Jimmy Schmid and Andreas Netthoevel. Photo: Andreas Netthoevel
28 September 2020 – Group work on image development and image determination using various creative methods. Photo: Andreas Netthoevel
In between, there was often time for individual work on the stamp drafts. Photo: Valentin Schürch
12 October 2020 – Charlotte Burkhardt presented two of her drafts to the jury as part of the intermediary presentation. Photo: Andreas Netthoevel
26 October 2020 – Discussions with lecturers Jimmy Schmid and Andreas Netthoevel. Photo: Andreas Netthoevel
Work was regularly documented in the lab diary (excerpt from Carole Kiechl’s lab diary).
2 November 2020 – Carole Kiechl presented her final draft to the jury as part of the final presentation. Photo: Andreas Netthoevel
9 December 2020 – Eight drafts were presented to the stamp commission for selection.
29 January 2021 – During the Focus on Stamps cover image shoot, Carole Kiechl presented the stamp she designed at the University of the Arts Bern. Photo: Urs Graber
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Adriana Fabbricatore
The design plays with a graph to symbolize global warming.
Available as a picture postcard in the set of four.
Anaïs Boogman
The ice cube symbolizes Earth and the fact that it is slowly melting due to global warming.
Available as a picture postcard in the set of four.
Hannah Boldt
The circular area of scratch-off ink represents our planet. The act of scratching off the ink illustrates how our actions impact on the planet.
Available as a picture postcard in the set of four.
Aaron Aebi
The sphere highlights the global urgency of the issue of sustainability. The boat, made of the sustainable material wood, alludes to the expression “we’re all in the same boat”.
Available as a picture postcard in the set of four.
Matthieu Dillier
The design symbolically depicts the various dimensions of sustainability.
Mylène Martz
The image conveys the paradox between the beauty of water and the irresponsible way in which the oceans are being filled with plastic.
Charlotte Burkhardt
Sustainability is reduced to the colour green. The neon effect is emblematic of a green Switzerland. HELVETIA and the face value of 100 appear in embossed printing.
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For the environment and society
Sustainability at Swiss Post: swisspost.ch/sustainability
Technical information
Sales
Philately: from 29.4.2021 to 30.6.2022 or while stocks last
Branches: from 6.5.2021 to 30.6.2022 or while stocks last
Validity
Unlimited from 6.5.2021
Printing
Offset, 4-colour; Gutenberg AG, Schaan, Liechtenstein
Sizes
Stamps: 32.5 × 40 mm
Sheet: 161 × 190 mm
(4 rows of 4 stamps)
Paper
Special paper, grs Crash Corn Mais, PVA gummed, 120 gm2
Perforation
13 1/2
Design
Carole Kiechl, Zurich
