Artistamps can be described as fake postage.  Some people call them faux postage, Cinderellas, postoids, or even real postage.  But at the post office, they may call them "fake." 

In other words, if you use artistamps in place of "real" postage, the post office is likely to return your mail, postage due.

Those of us who make artistamps insist that they are real postage, just not from generally recognized countries. That is, we often make up our own countries and/or issuing authorities. We're not trying to pretend they're legal postage in the US, or any other country from which we may be mailing these stamps. We create these stamps for fun, whimsy, art, and/or a statement.

Artistamps are loosely related (or not) to the mailart movement, which in turn evolved from the Dada and perhaps Fluxus and/or Chaos movements. 

Or not. 

Mostly, artistamps are a boundariless field of art.  Some of us make up our issuing authorities.  We send our stamps--on cards, envelopes, and other items--often to people we don't know.   Those people may respond by sending us artistamps and/or mailart. 

Or not. It's a boundariless field, and everyone participating probably has his/her own definitions for this art form.

Rules:

1. There really aren't any rules.

2. It's an artistamp if you say it is.   No other rules apply.

3.  No one must send thank you notes, or anything in response, really.

4.  But, to remain on people's mailing lists, it's a good idea to respond now & then.  The best response is your own art, artistamp, or mailart.

5. Artistamp shows generally have no jury or similar hierarchy.

6.  See Rule #1, if you're confused by the rest of this.

return to aisling's artistamps page