Ivan Chermayeff: Why Stamps?

A good graphic designer pays attention to small things, and there are few things smaller than postage stamps. Ivan Chermayeff paid attention. For almost fifty years the acclaimed graphic designer made collages—and in those collages stamps and mail played an important role. Envelopes are heads. Stamps are eyes and lips. However, one could be forgiven for never having noticed this, as the whole in Chermayeff’s collages is greater than the parts.

In this limited edition of Why Stamps? Chermayeff calls attention to the parts with a brief essay on postage stamps and a selection of fourteen collages which use stamps and mail to the best possible effect. Also included are two of Chermayeff’s smallest cut-paper collages: Stamps for the USPS and Royal Mail.