Omniva Presents Estonia’s First Postage Stamp Featuring Street Art and Exhibits Edward von Lõngus’ Original Work
Omniva is issuing the first Estonian postage stamp dedicated to street art. The stamp features Edward von Lõngus’ 2022 work Paper Plane. At the launch event, Lõngus’ large-scale original artwork will also be on display.
Edward von Lõngus is one of Estonia’s best-known street artists. His works have attracted the attention of art critics, the wider public, and the media. The quality of his art is so high that it has been exhibited in galleries and has set records at art auctions. Adding to his mystique, the artist has never revealed his true identity.
“Featuring Edward von Lõngus’ Paper Plane on a stamp is a bold move, as it brings street art into philately – a field where it has rarely appeared. Our aim is to expand the boundaries of philately by introducing contemporary art and the cultural language of the younger generation to postage stamps,” said Hannes Nagel, Head of Philately at Omniva.
Another distinctive feature of the new street art stamp is the use of the tête-bêche layout on the stamp sheet, meaning that two stamps are printed as mirror images of each other – one upright, the other inverted. This allows collectors to obtain a paired set of stamps. Tête-bêche layouts have been used only very rarely in Estonian philately.
The stamp launch will take place on Monday, 15 September at 17:00 in the central atrium on the first floor of T1 Mall. All contemporary art and philately enthusiasts are welcome. The event will showcase Edward von Lõngus’ original painting Paper Plane, measuring 3.2 x 3.1 metres, which will remain on display for T1 visitors until the end of September. The owner of the original work, Riivo Anton, will also speak at the event and share the story behind Paper Plane.
At the launch, visitors will be able to purchase complete stamp sets that will not be available later.
The street art stamp is priced at €1.50, making it suitable for sending domestic letters. Designed by Kaarel Kukk, the stamp will be issued in a print run of 12,000. The stamp and first day cover will be available from Monday in Omniva’s e-store and post offices across Estonia. The official first day stamp will be used at the Tallinn Kaubamaja post office. The stamp featuring von Lõngus’ work will also be available at the Rahva Raamat bookstore in T1 Mall.
In 2025, Omniva will issue 30 stamps to commemorate important themes and significant events in our country and society. Omniva’s postage stamps are printed on Vaba Maa paper, which carries the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) label for responsible forestry. The FSC label certifies that the wood used for paper production comes from responsibly managed forests.