New Issue: Iconic Landscapes (Greenland)

I have already reviewed Guernsey's SEPAC architecture issue, which shows the Victoria Tower. SEPAC includes the Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Greenland, Guernsey, Ireland, Isle of Man, Jersey, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Vatican and Åland. Every year they issue stamps on a theme and this year the theme is iconic landscapes. Well, here is a very different stamp from Greenland. Guernsey decided to celebrate a historic building within the landscape but Greenland is showing us something else. The stamp shows the Sermitsiaq mountain near Nuuk.

This stamp is basically a photograph of a real landscape, and in some ways that is both its greatest strength and its greatest weakness.

The good thing is that Sermitsiaq Mountain is clearly an impressive place. The mountain rises dramatically behind Nuuk, and the photograph shows both the mountain and the town. The stamp feels authentic because it is showing a real view rather than an artist's interpretation. We also see the scale of the mountain and you can see why Greenland chose this for its "iconic landscape"

On the other hand, if I am being critical, it does look a bit like a postcard that has been shrunk down to stamp size. There isn't much in the way of impressive design work.

Design Quality - The photograph is attractive and does a good job of showing Sermitsiaq Mountain towering above the landscape. The colours are natural and pleasant, especially the contrast between the blue water and the darker mountain. The layout is good.

However, there is not much creativity in the design. If the mountain were less impressive, the stamp would feel quite ordinary and wouldn't have much impact. 3/10

Theme / Subject Choice - Sermitsiaq is one of Greenland's most famous mountains and is closely associated with Nuuk, the capital. Choosing a landmark that Greenlanders would instantly recognise makes a lot of sense. It gives the stamp a strong sense of place and represents Greenland well.

The subject is important and it really fits in well with SEPAC's "iconic landscape" theme of the year. 10/10

Historical and Cultural Relevance - This mountain is more than just a nice view. It is a symbol of Nuuk and appears in many photographs and artworks about Greenland. Greenland's national newspaper is named after it - that's how culturally relevant it is!

Sermitsiaq isn't the highest mountain in Greenland but it is definitely the most well known. More than a third of Greenlanders live in Nuuk, and for them Sermitsiaq is part of the landscape they see every day, which gives it cultural importance. 8/10

Innovation and Creativity - The stamp is just a photograph of a landscape. It is a very good photograph of a very impressive landscape, but all the same there is nothing particularly innovative about it. The image is beautiful, but the design does not really add anything. 2/10

Collectability - I think collectors who enjoy landscapes, Greenland or SEPAC issues would appreciate this stamp. The fact it is part of a series of SEPAC stamps dedicated to iconic landscapes will definitely make it more popular with collectors.

Sermitsiaq is an iconic location, which gives the stamp some appeal. However, because the design is fairly simple, it may not stand out as much as more artistic or unusual issues. 7/10

Personal Appeal - I think this is a good stamp and it fits the theme well. The photograph is very good and and it is calm and attractive. However, it isn;t exciting and doesn't grab my attention. 5/10

Overall Score - 35/60