Putting their stamp on the city

21 September 2017

The stamps (€1) feature the work of leading exponents of the contemporary art form which had variously been described as ‘guerrilla art’ or just plan ‘graffiti’, including Maser, Conor Harrington, Fin DAC and James Earley.

Created by Dublin-based Aad Design,  the colourful four-stamp strip, First day Cover (envelope) and unique prestige booklet containing 16 of the new stamps can be purchased at main post offices, at the stamp counters in Dublin’s GPO or online at irishstamps.ie

What began as visual art in public locations without permission has quickly grown to become a leading art form in its own right. Urban street art is now a feature of the modern urban landscape allowing artists to communicate directly with the public without the restrictions of the formal art world or the need for gallery space. In recent years, street art has itself become mainstream with leading exponents like Banksy getting public attention.

Maser, originally from Ireland but now resident in the USA, began painting street art around the streets of Dublin in 1995. His unique abstract style soon earned the respect of his peers and brought with it an international reputation. Conor Harrington, from Cork, but now based in London, paints outdoor murals and traditional gallery artwork. Fin DAC, also from Cork, is another with an international reputation, working and exhibiting alongside arts like Goldie, Nick Walker and Jef Aersol. James Earley is a street artist from Dun Laoghaire. He has curated design retrospectives graffiti art festivals and art collections and is best known for a remarkable Joycean makeover of Dublin’s Blooms Hotel in Temple Bar.