Especially in this day and age, when we sorely miss peace, we also miss the stamps of Iceland, the issuance of which was discontinued by the Icelandic Post Office in 2020. The innovations of the stamps designed in Iceland have always fascinated me. Like the one from 2008 that impressively depicts the peace theme.
It is a stamp that shows the IMAGINE PEACE TOWER. The tower is an outdoor work of art designed by Yoko Ono in memory of John Lennon. The “tower” – a “light artwork” is located on the island of Viðey in Reykjavík, Iceland. It is “lit” every year from October 9 – December 8; December 21 – 31; February 18, and March 20 – 27. The lighting lasts about an hour after sunset until midnight. (https://www.imaginepeacetower.com/)
The stamp was designed by Örn Smári Gíslason for the 68th birthday of John Lennon. , designed and printed by Joh. Enschedé Security Print in Haarlem Holland. It was available in sheets of 10 stamps each.
The printing process was interesting and innovative. It was printed in 4-color offset printing and phosphor (glow-in-the-dark effect) on the bright column (Imagine Peace Tower) and the cloud above it (which, by the way, looks like a cloud on the cover of the LP Imagine) and UV ink, whereby a portrait of John Lennon appears with UV illumination. Additional printing colors are Pantone silver on the edges of the stamps.
Not enough: On the bow under UV light (where the arrow can be seen) is still a small description of this work of art and also a small instruction on how to make your own little peace light from this bow – if you do not want to use the stamps.
As I said, it’s a pity that there are no more Icelandic stamps.
P.S. And no matter how you feel about the criminal war in Ukraine at the moment – I would have liked such a stamp from Ukraine better than one with a stinky finger. It at least gives the impression of wanting peace, but the finger is full of aggression. And aggression only evokes counter-aggression. But this is the personal opinion of the webmaster and not that of the association (DVW).