Greetings Stamp

If a stamp were the subject of a riddle, the question would be: A perforated scrap of paper, adhesive and a message! What am I? Riddles, along with proverbs and sayings, were once a popular way of sharpening the mind, not only among young people but across all age groups. In the nineteenth century they were considered an important part of a nation’s philosophy.

This greetings stamp not only draws attention to the iconography of the image it depicts, it also reminds us how to understand it. Its meaning and message are therefore multifaceted, particularly in today’s digital world and beyond. Pošta Slovenije held a competition for the design of a greetings stamp. Young people were able to take part, since the competition was organised in conjunction with Pionirski Dom Centre for Youth Culture in Ljubljana. The creator of the chosen design, Niko Štefe, used a time-honoured symbol of love and human relationships: the heart. When we talk about relationships between people, even in our modern, often alienated world, this perforated scrap of paper

Janez Bogataj