8 ALLIANZ BUSINESS TO ARTS AWARDS 2009 Sunday Independent May 24, 2009
Irish art’s stamp of approval
We use them almost every day as a means of paying for our postage, but little do most of us realise that each time we lick and apply a stamp to the back of an envelope
we are, in our own way, supporting the arts in Ireland
ROM the everyday tiny images,” says Whelan.
F
stamps bought “Then, of course, there is
and sold through- another stream of stamps
out all An Post called commemoratives.
offices around the These are produced by An
country to special com- Post on behalf of the Gov-
memorative stamps col- ernment, which approves of
lected by enthusiasts, all are what subjects are treated,”
essentially miniature works he adds.
of art that can have a pro- Each year, An Post pro-
found effect on the success duces between 40 and 50
and exposure of the artist stamps on behalf of the
involved. Irish Government. The pro-
This year sees An Post gramme commemorates
receive a highly commended anniversaries, events and
honour for its Annual Stamp individuals that are of involved the work of
Programme at the Allianz national and international Michael Craig who illus-
Business to Arts Awards. importance. It also contains trated The Round Tower
“We publish two different subjects, which reflect an series by drawing round
streams of stamps: the first affinity with Ireland and the towers from the four
are what we call definitives. Irish contribution to world provinces to include the sur-
They are the work-a-day affairs. rounding trees and fields
stamps that you see sold “We solicit ideas from to show the sheer scale of
throughout the country. At Government departments, these ancient monuments
the moment, for 2009, they the general public and a – a true mixture of Irish
feature Irish wild flowers,” whole raft of people across heritage and artistic talent
explains Barney Whelan, the country, asking ‘what conveyed through An Post.
director of communications would you like to see com- Stamp art is unique in and parameters of the haiku. Hanley also illustrated some
From Paul Henry landscapes
and corporate affairs with memorated the following of itself. While most illus- Then there’s the complex- stamps, including Christmas-
to views of the planets,
An Post. year?’,” says Whelan. trations are scaled down to ity of including certain infor- themed ones.
a selection of the
There is also a set of defin- Over the years, these fit the stamp, some artists mation such as price and This not only supports the
stamps that have been
itives called the An Post 25th stamps have involved the like to work within the country, all posing chal- arts by commissioning
produced by An Post. The
Artfully chosen
Jubilee, which involved input of the creative com- constraints of the stamp’s lenges for the artists and artists and craftspeople to
company has been highly
working with photographers munity in Ireland, ranging borders, working with mag- designers involved. design a stamp, but it also
commended at the 2009
to create a series of images from photographers to nifying glasses and tiny pens In the past, the talented boosts their profile and gets
Allianz Business to
Boardrooms, waiting areas and office
depicting the journey of a painters to graphic designers or brushes. and well-respected Irish artist their works seen all over the
Arts Awards
letter from writing to its final and graphic artists. It’s almost the artistic Robert Ballagh designed country, almost like a tiny
spaces the length of the country have
delivery. He says they are a pow- equivalent of cultivating a over 70 stamps for An Post. travelling art gallery as well
pieces of art hanging on their walls, but
“A significant amount of erful statement for An Bonsai tree or perhaps Last year, to celebrate the as a living CV. career-wise from being able
photography and art direc- Post and, essentially, Ire- expressing the beauty of Olympics, artist Graham “A large number of people, to say they have produced a how many can say that the artwork
tion was involved in trying land’s brand. poetry, while being limited Knuttel illustrated a num- especially in the design world, stamp for their country,”
to crystallise An Post into 10 One such set of stamps to the length and syllable ber of stamps, while James can benefit significantly says Whelan.
reflects the tastes of their employees?
Above: Artist Louise
Butler’s ‘Picton to
Wellington’ at the
AWAS headquarters
in Dublin;
Left: Alva Gallagher’s
‘Cultured’
AIRCRAFT leasing firm, more of an art gallery than
AWAS, which is headquar- a workplace!”
tered in Dublin, took Following a week of
a completely different immersion in the arts,
approach when forming AWAS conducted an online
its art collection. The survey among employees
company allowed its including a picture of each
employees to become part painting and sculpture and
of the process when choos- a summary of the artist
ing the paintings and involved.
sculptures for its Dublin Employees were asked to
office. vote on their favourite
This unique approach pieces of art and out of
has seen it scoop a ‘highly the 30 different artists
recommended’ honour at involved, the top 15 pieces
this year’s Allianz Busi- were chosen to purchase.
ness to Arts Awards. It wasn’t just about get-
Aside from working in ting paintings on the walls
the business and legal that employees would
department of AWAS, Katy approve of – it was also
Atkinson is also an artist. about really engrossing
She suggested directly everyone in the arts. It gen-
involving employees by erated a feeling of being a
running an exhibition week part of the entire artistic
and constructing a tempo- process through this learn-
rary gallery inside the ing experience.
office. “There were lunchtime
“I was asked by the sen- talks and employees had
ior management team how the chance to go and talk to
best to get some art on the the artists about their work.
walls and one thing I’ve It really makes a difference
always disliked is when when you meet the artist
some new art arrives in a behind the work,” says
corporate space, bought Atkinson.
and owned by the company, “The lovely thing for me
and it may not be to any- was that a lot of employees
one’s taste.” were enquiring about the
After spending time liais- pieces, in particular a
ing with various artists, beautiful piece by Sheila
AWAS set up the spaces in Rennick.”
the office to look like an Some employees even
art gallery over a weekend. went on to personally pur-
The staff were taken by sur- chase some of her work
prise on Monday morning after the AWAS exhibition.
when they found them- In fact, the whole project
selves surrounded by art. took on a life of its own by
“It was such a buzz. We awakening in some a new
moved the furniture passion for art.
around and I created an The experience was so
art-gallery floorplan that positive that Atkinson says
told everyone about the it will be continued, with
artists. We also had video plans to rotate pieces of
installations. art amongst the Dublin
“For that week the offices offices and those in Miami,
felt as though they were Singapore and New York.
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8