Change of art
It's 180 years since the world's first adhesive postage stamp, the Penny Black, was put on sale in London in May 1840.
The Penny Black was the world's first postage stamp used in a public postal system. It was first issued in the UK on 1 May 1840, but was not valid for use until 6 May.
The classic design of the stamp took five months from concept to issue. The Penny Black image of Queen Victoria was based on a sketch of the monarch taken when she was only 15, and was to remain on stamps for the entirety of her reign.
To mark the 180 year anniversary of the Penny Black, Mail Art, a not-for-profit international community art and design project, run by father and son duo, Kevin and James Gillen, created the (pictured) Mail Art envelope and uploaded a tribute image of the stamp to their Facebook page.
Launched in 2013, Mail Art encourages people around the world to create original postal artworks and post them on, generating a collection of global works. The continually growing network of global ‘Mail Artists’ is a positive celebration of both art and the postal service.
Their Facebook page acts as an online gallery space for people to share their Mail Art with the world. Why not get creative during lockdown and send your own artistic envelope/package/postcard to: Mail Art, c/o Kevin & James Gillen, 1 Maple Drive, Kent, CT18 7NP.
Your postal artwork will be uploaded online and exhibited to thousands of people around the world. The project is very inclusive and encourages people of all ages and backgrounds to get involved in making Mail Art.
