Postzegel Republik Indonesia 1949

These Indonesian stamps, likely printed by Staatsdruckerei Wien, are little worlds contained in paper frames. The mark-making here isn't about grand gestures, but a meticulous layering of colors and shapes to create recognizable images. It reminds me that art-making, even on a tiny scale, is about process, about building something from nothing. Look closely at the palm trees on the 40s stamp. The way those fronds are rendered, it's almost like the engraver was thinking about the wind, about movement. There's a tension between the flat surface of the stamp and the implied depth of the scene. The slightly faded colors add to this sense of history, of something that has traveled and been touched. These stamps share the same sense of miniaturization as some of Joseph Cornell’s boxes, offering glimpses into another world, another time. It is a reminder that art is about embracing ambiguity, leaving space for individual interpretation and contemplation.