Wednesday, March 25, 2015

FAUX POSTAGE STAMPS AND COVERS/ A Map Stamp from Poste Mahdern by Eric Whollem/ Virtual Mail Art/ CYBERSTAMPS


 POSTE MAHDERN
Paraphilatelic Mail from Pop to Op
2015
Eric Whollem
digital stamp and cancellation art
copyright by the artist


POSTE MAHDERN
2015
Map Stamp
Eric Whollem
cyber edition
copyright by the artist

A MAP STAMP FROM POSTE MAHDERN

This stamp and cover are both digitally realized images. As such they could be considered cyberstamp or virtual stamp art. This is slightly different than conventional mail art, where actual covers are sent through the mail.

Op Art and Pop Art are aspects of modern art from the sixties, which influenced stamp designers, especially with the popularized concept of Serial Art. Warhol's Soup Can series influenced many stamp designers, especially in the Artistamp groups that were forming in the seventies and eighties.

Nevertheless serial art has an ancient place in art history. Examples are too numerous to mention. A good one is Naza textile art.

The stamp on the virtual cover is an imperforate variety. The map is an example of my own digital art imagery. Binky O'Tool is a fantasy name for the creator of this stamp and cover, essentially one of my pseudonyms. Binky O'Tool I posit as the head of what I fancifully call Feral Impressions, a stamp production service for my own paraphilatelic fantasies of the moment.

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