AUSTRALIA POST - YEAR OF THE LUCKY TIGER 2022
Chrissy has been commissioned by Australia Post to design their Year of the Tiger Christmas Island Lunar New Year stamp collection. The Lucky Tiger 2022 stamp collection is inspired by the Japanese Maneki-Neko beckoning waving cats that have been adopted into Asian and Western culture, often displayed in homes and businesses to bring good luck and fortune to their owners.
The tigers are fun and contemporary, designed to make you smile and feel warm & fuzzy. They are a celebration of East meets West because of the familiarity of beckoning cats displayed in every day life: picking up a Sweet 'n' Sour from the local Chinese takeaway or wandering the aisles of the Dollar Store. Whether you're in Australia or China you'll smile and feel nostalgic when you see these beckoning tigers.
Above all the designs are created to celebrate multiculturalism, on the superficial surface the designs can be appreciated by any age, no matter their knowledge of Asian culture. On a deeper level the designs are full of Chinese/Asian inspired symbolism that can be appreciated by the eye of the beholder.
The collection can be viewed as an educational art project because the beauty draws you in and you can also learn more about deeper meaningful symbols within Chinese/Asian culture.
For more information visit auspost.com.au/stamps or australiapostcollectables.com.au
All images ©Copyright Australian Postal Corporation 2021.
The colour palette is inspired by the signature Chinese colours, gold represents wealth and fortune, the red represents good luck.
$1.10 Plum Blossom Tiger - the plum blossom is a symbol of hope, perseverance, beauty and purity in Chinese culture. The plum blossom can survive in the harshest and coldest environments in China, they're still able to blossom and thrive in adverse conditions - it is a symbol of grit and determination. The design encapsulates the essence of the plum blossom's strength and is a symbol of hope and positivity during unprecedented times.
$2.20 Fortune Fire Cracker Tiger - the tiger cub represents family celebrations during Lunar New Year. The Mother Tiger holds a LNY 'Fu' Fortune decoration often displayed during the celebrations and are used to attract good fortune. The fire crackers crackle and explode during the LNY festivities to ward off evil spirits.
$3.30 Prosperous Long Life Tiger - the tiger holds the lucky endless knot which is commonly displayed during LNY and symbolise a happy long life full of good fortune. The golden kumquats/mandarins are displayed at entrances of homes and businesses during LNY as a symbol of prosperity and to attract wealth.
