STAMPS IN PRAXIS

[Guy Schraenen]

STAMPS IN PRAXIS

Antwerp, Belgium: Archive Small Press & Communication, 1977

[12] pp., 21.5 x 15.5 cm., softcover

Edition of 200

An exhibition catalogue produced to accompan a show organized by Guy Schraenen at Galerie Kontakt, Antwerpen, in November 1977 and at Stempelplaats, Amsterdam in January 1978. The exhibitions featured original stamps collected on correspondence, documents and in publications.

“The major part of the stamps presented in this exhibition were collected since 1975 in our daily mail, some were found in publications remaining in the Archive.

The exhibition is divided in three parts:

1/ Stamps in correspondance and documents.

2/ Publications where original stamps are used principally or partly as printing process.

3/ Original stamps in publications.

Contrary to other stamp art exhibitions, which mainly showed, not the use of stamps, but the “stamps”, our purpose was to show how stamps are used in praxis as art, in mail art, as message or as ornamentation.

In small press and in artist’s publication stamps are wildly used because no printers or expensive technics are involved. Stamps also have the advantage to give color and image to printing.

In an other exhibition “printing processes in the small press”, which will be organised in the future, a large part will be consecrated to the use of stamps as typography.” 

— Guy Schraenen