Postcard of "Year of the Tiger in the Chinese Lunar Calendar" issued by the United Nations Postal Administration
Since its establishment in 1951, the United Nations Postal Administration has issued more than a thousand stamps. Since 2010, the United Nations Postal Administration has issued zodiac stamps with the theme "Chinese New Year". After the completion of the first round of 12 Zodiac stamps, on 21 January 2022, the Postal Administration began the second round of new design stamp issuance of Chinese New Year stamps, officially launching the Year of the Tiger stamp plate. Stamp designer Pan Hu and Sergio Baradat, head of global design and communications at the United Nations Postal Administration, were interviewed separately by UN News on the design and issuance of stamps for the Year of the Tiger. Listen to special correspondent Du Jia's report.
The first set of United Nations stamps in United States dollar denominations was first issued on United Nations Day on 24 October 1951. The stamps issued by the United Nations are intended to reflect the work of the United Nations, the world Organization. As a result, United Nations stamps transcend the boundaries of philately and draw attention to major world issues. Peace, human rights, the environment, endangered species and other issues of common concern to the people of the world are the themes of the stamp promotion of the United Nations Postal Administration. United Nations stamps are created by artists around the world and printed by the finest and most reliable printing houses in different countries.
This year's Commemorative Year of the Tiger in the Chinese Lunar Calendar is the first set of the second round of Zodiac stamps, a set of stamp plates celebrating the Year of the Tiger in the Chinese Lunar Calendar in 2022 containing 10 stamps with a face value of US$1.30, the main stamp is a tiger picture, and the secondary stamp is a United Nations badge, created by Chinese artist Pan Hu.
When talking about the stamp design, Pan Hu pointed out: Although the stamp is only a small picture, it can be all-encompassing. Stamp design must be refined, and the effort and effort behind it cannot be ignored.
Pan Hu: "I draw a lot of sketches, and then I seek a corresponding balance of the picture. After completing the sketch, we will imagine that if we use the Chinese style of heavy color and white drawing, we can not make a perfect expression, at this time we may do some local tests. We first drew two AAA paper-sized pairs, which had to be drawn larger and then reduced.
Of course, in the process of painting bigger, is it not the finer the better? In fact, from a professional point of view, it is not necessarily the finer the better, because sometimes after shrinking, some of its details will be lost. Then we process it through the computer, so that the relationship between the content of the picture will be more harmonious with each other, and then after repeatedly going through the reduction process, print it out. After that, ask questions and suggestions for amendments, make appropriate changes, repeat the previous actions, print them out, and submit them to the United Nations after feeling perfect. ”
Pan Hu introduced: Being able to express his ideas perfectly is the most gratifying thing for an artist. The form and content of the Commemorative Stamps of the Year of the Tiger reflect both Chinese traditions and universal values across borders.
Pan Hu: "This tiger is expressed in the way of the pen, which is our traditional Chinese pen. In this form of heavy color, we spent almost a month, very delicate, although the stamp print is small, may not be visible, but in the end we paid a great price and made a perfect expression.
Tiger behind the rose, we are in the form of a traditional white drawing. Whether it is a white stroke or a brush stroke, there is really a big difference between it and Western painting. This kind of Chinese aesthetic, the skill of this kind of stroke must be very well expressed.
United Nations Postal Administration
Stamp stamps for the Year of the Tiger in the Chinese Lunar Calendar issued by the United Nations Postal Administration
We want to use this kind of Expression Method of China to express, so what kind of theme is expressed? In fact, in the process of doing creation, one of the inspirations came from Sasson's masterpiece. Sasson was a very famous anti-war poet who was a lover and believer in peace. One of his verses is: "There is a tiger in the heart, and a rose is sniffed." In fact, there is a very universal value in this sentence, that is to say, everything, including us humans, has its own two sides: one side represents strength, and the other side represents delicacy. The brave and fearless tiger can sometimes show a gentle and warm or even delicate side, and sometimes stop to enjoy better things, enjoy life, and enjoy life. We use a Chinese way to express such a content, and I think the form and content are unified here. The form is Chinese, but the content has no borders. ”
Sergio Baradat, head of global design and communications at the United Nations Postal Administration, fully affirmed the artistic design of the Year of the Tiger stamp and hoped that the message conveyed by the stamp would inspire people to come out of the shadow of the epidemic on the world at the time of the New Year, full of hope and courage to move forward.
Baradat: "Mr. Pan's design is very beautiful, the brushstrokes are elegant, the overall feel is very aesthetic, showing a very classical Chinese aesthetic. While maintaining the classic Chinese design elements, it also shows a strong sense of modernity and futurism. I think it's a really wonderful combination for this project.
Sergio Baradat
Sergio Baradat, head of global design and communications at the United Nations Postal Administration
Tigers represent strength, might and prosperity in the Chinese zodiac. After the world has been plagued by the epidemic for the past two years, the Stamps of the Year of the Tiger have sent a positive message that gives us hope for the reconstruction of the world, the strength of humanity and the future prosperity. ”
Baradat noted in particular: The Chinese Lunar New Year commemorative stamps issued by the United Nations Postal Administration over the past decade or so have been loved by stamp collectors. He is deeply pleased with this and sends good wishes to Chinese people around the world on the occasion of the arrival of the Year of the Tiger.
Baradat: "I am very grateful to you for supporting the work of the United Nations Postal Administration over the years! Our work is also the giving of love. Thank you to our stamp collectors, I hope that you will continue to love the commemorative stamps designed and issued by the United Nations, and continue to collect Chinese New Year Zodiac stamps. ”
The above is what the United Nations journalist Du Jia did about the United Nations issuing stamps for the Year of the Tiger