On January 19, 2019 Postnord (Sweden) issued a new series of postage stamps under the title ‘The Power of Handicrafts’.
Handicrafts have become popular again, and many people are feeling the need to make something with their own hands – in order to self-express, destress or enjoy time with their soulmates.
A booklet of 5 stamps denominated in 21 SEK, as well as coil stamps for domestic letters depict photographs of Swedish handicrafters’ real works created using various techniques. An embroidered felt applique by Emma Ihl, a crochet applique by Maria Yvell, crochet lace by Anneli Lindberg and different embroidery pieces by Monika Aldehag, Lotta Sjöberg, and Karin Holmberg – all these handiworks found their place as subjects for the stamps.
Barbro Sjöberg, the mastermind behind new stamp projects in Postnord, noted that by issuing ‘The Power of Handicrafts’ series they did not simply want to show the variety of arts and crafts but to emphasize the deep roots they take in traditions and the relevance they hold in the modern society.
What further contributed to the whole idea was the unusual exhibition called FRIMÄRKSINSIRIRATIONS organized by the ‘Embroidery’ creative association and held at the Postmuseum, Stockholm in 2018. The participants of the project created more than 80 embroidery pieces representing postage stamps, ranging from recreations of existing Swedish stamps to unique creations in the genre of postage miniature. At the same time with the exhibition the museum offered regular embroidery master classes.
As a result, one of the works – that of Monika Aldehag – got turned into a real postage stamp. It shows two running horses and a simple ornament. The source of Monika’s inspiration proved to be the Överhogdal tapestries (Överhogdalstapeten) – textiles of the Viking age discovered perfectly intact in the sacristy of a church in Överhogdal, Sweden in 1909. They depict plots and motifs both of pagan and Christian origin: the tree of Yggdrasil, Sleipnir – Odin’s eight-legged horse, a Viking ship, horsemen, as well as a great number of animals (horses, deer and such).
Apart from the booklet, this stamp was also duplicated on a souvenir sheet with artistically decorated margins, with Eva Eriksson’s patchwork as the background of the sheet. The creation of the series also involved Per Myrehed, the photographer, and Eva Wilsson, the designer.
Source: www.postnord.se
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