New Dutch Design – 'Atmospheric' glow of the moment

On August 10, 2026, PostNL will issue the third 'New Dutch Design – Gloed van het Moment' stamp sheet. This issue focuses on 'celebrating' in the sense of pausing to reflect on a festive event such as a birthday or anniversary.

The design of the stamp is characterized by vibrant colors on round and angular shapes. It is worth mentioning that both different stamps are executed as continuous images extending from the left sheet margin via perforations to the right sheet margin (but also as a continuous image in a vertical direction).

Issue details: design by Nicole Uniquole in collaboration with 2nd-year Graphic Design students at ArtEZ, University of the Arts in Zwolle, including Aron Nauta from Hellevoetsluis (2003), Lynn Klein Blaumink from Borne (2001) & Yael Veeningen from Swifterband (2006), first day of issue August 10, 2026, print run 75.000 sheets, printer Koninklijke Joh. Enschedé BV in Haarlem.

Analysis of colorful sunset in autumn

In the depiction of the autumn sunset, the sunbeams change in ever-changing ways due to atmospheric scattering. The color change progresses from red, pink, and orange to yellow, then to strong purple and blue hues, up to and including the final dark blue stripe on the far right. This color gradient and the position of the colors refer to the passage of time on both stamps from left to right.

– Yet no color gradient can be detected on the field. The reason? We usually perceive the change in colors of a setting sun suddenly, and not gradually.

– Just like the 83-year-old artist James Turrell (with his skyspace experiment) from America, the students also make use of geometric patterns with round and angled shapes, which suggest light and space.

– The circle represents the sun. The setting sun also differs in color from red to orange on both stamps due to the passage of time, but at the same time occupies a lower position on the stamp of the increasingly descending sun.

– The diagonal stripes refer to the rays of light from the low-lying sun during the autumn period. The pattern of angular and rounded shapes is broken up by vertical bands, creating a balanced equilibrium and tranquility in the overall image of the stamp sheet.

Horizontal or vertical stamp?

Due to the horizontal text of the title with postage value indication and the vertical placement of the country name and year, multifunctional use of the stamp on a postal item is possible for this stamp sheet as well, in either a vertical or horizontal direction. The only question is: “What guides this usage? The horizontal typography, or the vertical?”

Abstract atmospheric characterizations

The sheets are designed by second-year Graphic Design students at ArtEZ in Zwolle. The stamp sheets are characterized as follows in the press release:

1) Recurring nostalgic atmospheric memories, student group slogan: “Standing still.”

– On the first stamp sheet, 'recurring nostalgic memories' (i.e., the past) are linked in an allegorical comparison in a far-fetched, shaky, and untrue manner to letter and number notations in the top and bottom margins of analog film rolls from over 50 years ago.

The rectangular holes with rounded corners refer to the holes in the film roll, which enable the mechanical shifting of the film roll in the camera.

– With a meaningful black-and-white photographic image depicting a particularly period-specific object, a comparison of 'nostalgic remembering' will be visually presented in a more photographically appealing way for many.

2) Taste the atmosphere of being together, student group saying: “Letting go.”

– What does the atmosphere of 'being together' consist of?

a) 'Sociability while eating edible goods' (cheese, grape, olive, cucumber, celery and

small bowls in geometrically angled shapes).

b) 'Festive-of-being-together'?

The festive and convivial elements mutually support and reinforce each other.

– The abstract forms of the 'edible'—through a circle and angled shapes of edible items on a serving board—are one-sided and limited. Unfortunately, no attention has been paid to the festive aspect.

3) Glow of the transitional moment of light, student group statement: “Remember.”

– The abstracted depiction of the atmosphere of sunset is by many (undoubtedly

with difficulty still recognized and seen after reading the explanation.

– The fact that changing weather conditions can severely disrupt the atmosphere and glow of a festive gathering is evident from the presence or absence of an umbrella. A party can fall thoroughly into the water, in both a literal and figurative sense.

4) Echo of or longing for the celebration, student group statement: “Celebration of existence”

– Only on Monday, September 28, will it be possible to say something meaningful about the 'festive atmosphere' designation of this stamp sheet. Perhaps attention should be paid to garlands, balloons, and party hats after all.