Alma Jantunen gets Posti art award 2021

National postal and logistic services operator Posti awarded the stamp art promotion prize for 2021 to glass artist Alma Jantunen, who is known for her colourful glass artwork.

Posti’s art award includes a prize of EUR 10,000 as well as a stamp publication of the artist’s works, said Posti in a press release on Wednesday. Jantunen’s art will be featured on two stamps issued in September.

According to Juntunen, her glass sculptures are inspired by living beings, plants or snow, for example. “The ideas for the pieces and their shapes often come from momentary impressions and atmospheres that I write down.”

As an artisan, Jantunen both designs and produces her pieces on her own. “It is important to have a clear idea in your mind when starting to outline the piece. I use quick sketches to plan the execution, technique, and size of the sculpture.”

Glass-blowing is intense work; the mass cools down quickly.

“I usually select the colours at the last minute. I use an extensive collection of about 400 colours and pick the shades intuitively. The colours in a piece of glass art settle when the mass cools down, but the glass-blowing technique gives the colours and shapes a sense of movement,” said Jantunen describing the process.

The stamps to be issued in September will feature two colourful pieces, Fruit Bottles and Cactus Pigga, which are also among the favourites of Jantunen’s customers. AD Paula Salviander is responsible for the graphic design of the stamps.

This is the fifth time Posti’s art award has been presented. In 2017, the art award was presented to sculptor Jasmin Anoschkin, in 2018 to graffiti artist EGS, in 2019 to fashion designer Mert Otsamo, and in 2020 to artist Janne Laine.