A New Stamp Dedicated to 

 The Federal Museum Vela

     I have waited with impatience for the new art stamp dedicated to the Museum Vela, because the art stamps are quite rare in the program of the Swiss post, despite the fact that we have here some of the best museums and masterpieces. The stamp appeared on 9th of May 2001, having  the rather usual size of 33 x 22 mm. It was designed by Sabina Oberholzer from Cevio and it was printed in offset, 3-colours.
    Unfortunately, my expectations were obviously much to high. Below I show the stamp, bigger as it is, and also with its colors a bit enhanced, in order to better display what is on it. Actually I have no idea what it represents, because the article in The Focus on Stamps dedicated to this issue tells me everything, excepting for this important "detail". And I'm not the only one to ask such questions (read also below). What I rather see are a lot of inscriptions that are worse than the SNA overprints.
    Not only the stamp is, well, a bit depressing, but also its technical quality is not that shown in the publicity (below, on the right). The perforation is less then perfect for the real stamp, shown below on the left (take an attentive look at the last teeth at the top and the bottom of the stamp, near the right corners. Printed by the Swiss Post Stamp Printers, we can only regret that they cannot attaint the quality of the disappeared, "too expensive" Courvoisier SA.
     Please read below a short article published in the Schweizer Briefmarken Zeitung, Issue 6-7 from 2001. Just to notice that the articles written by the readers are as much interesting as those written by the professional philatelic journalists, and sometimes even better, because they have the courage to express ideas that aren't politically correct.

     An Offence for Vincenzo Vela

      by Ulisse Serena

     The stamp collectors got used to the fact that DIE POST (Swiss Post) offers them its "products" (i.e. stamps) as small  works of art, but that they cannot be understood without proper instruction for use.  When DIE POST in the "Focus on Stamps" claims that the stamps are stimulating, it has right: these stamps develop our sense of disapproval.
     Such a stamp is that allegedly dedicated to the Museum Vela in Ligornetto. One cannot see on the stamp either something of the building or one of the artist's works. I agree, the works of Vela aren't by all means convenient for the actual taste, because today a scrap iron weld together is named a sculpture, but the works of Vela can be presented next to those of Michelangelo or Rodin. The museum contains works that will allow not only for the "production" of one stamps, but of a full set. But the desire today is to be original by all means, and the design of the stamp should be also cheap...
     Anyway, those responsible for the "production" of stamps should be nearer to the reality as to fantasies that express nothing. (Translated from German by V.M.).

    Link: Museum Vela

Published: 06/08/2001. Revised: 06/08/01.
Copyright © 2001 by Victor Manta, Switzerland.
All rights reserved worldwide.

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