Stamps CHF 1.10 «Art in architecture», Sheetlet with 8 stamps

In 2020, Swiss Post reframed its traditional commitment to art and defined three pillars. After the issue of two previous stamps dedicated to art collection and art in the periphery, the third in the series now follows. The “Art in architecture” stamp completes the series launched in 2020 to reflect Swiss Post’s commitment to art. As with its predecessors, the materials used for this special stamp again play an important role in its design, suggesting the pillar for which the stamp stands. To give the concrete wall depicted in the design a tactile dimension, cement pigments were added to the ultra-matt finish. Why concrete as a symbol? This is a material that plays an important role in the history of architecture. Concrete helped art, previously seen by most people as decorative, to attain its independence as an art form. As a stamp design, the symbolic concrete wall represents an artistic pillar that characterizes Swiss Post buildings throughout Switzerland. How did this nationwide portfolio of “Art in architecture” works come about? After the Second World War, the Swiss Confederation enacted an ordinance stipulating that one percent of public building construction should be invested in “Art in architecture” projects. Around 180 such projects have been completed to date, with 75 of them still owned by Swiss Post today. These artworks are part of our historical heritage, enriching the public space and telling us about a piece of Swiss history.