Pushing the Envelope
6 – 16 May 2015
An exhibition of 138 beautifully illustrated envelopes from around the world – a collaboration between House of Illustration and Hereford College of Arts
On 6 May 2015, Pushing the Envelope will open at House of Illustration – an exhibition of 138 inspiring postal artworks commemorating the 175th anniversary of the world’s first postage stamp, the Penny Black.
On 6 May 1840 the Penny Black was used for the first time, with a design showing the head of Queen Victoria. This stamp, proof that postage had been paid, revolutionised the postal system – previously postal charges had been paid by the recipient.
House of Illustration, in collaboration with Hereford College of Arts, invited artists and illustrators from across the world to respond to this landmark anniversary by creating and sending their own decorated and embellished envelopes.
Their responses range from painting to collage to typography, each one an imaginative celebration of postal art and history, and includes envelopes sent from the USA, Japan, Australia, and all over Europe and the UK.
Katie Nairne, Curatorial Co-ordinator of the exhibition at House of Illustration, said: “It offers a reminder that even in an age of digital communication, blank envelopes and the promise of post remain irresistible.”
The exhibition will launch with a talk on 6 May at House of Illustration by eminent illustrator David Gentleman, who worked with then-Postmaster General Tony Benn in 1965 to modernise stamp design to reflect UK heritage and life. A stamp of Sir Winston Churchill, designed by Gentleman and issued in July 1965, was the first British stamp to feature a contemporary individual – rather than the Queen’s head - and to have a bold modernist design.
Following the exhibition at House of Illustration, Pushing the Envelope will travel to the Hay Festival where it will be exhibited from 21-31 May.
