The Story Behind the Design of Bosscha Observatory's 100th Anniversary Stamp
LEMBANG, itb.ac.id—2023 is a special year for Indonesia’s study in astronomy—it is the 100th year of ITB’s (Institut Teknologi Bandung) Bosscha Observatory. Operating for a century is not an easy feat; the observatory has faced times full of struggle by its founders.
The journey of the Bosscha Observatory is depicted through its newly released stamp piece that commemorates its 100 years of service. The stamps are designed by Triyadi Guntur Wiratmo, S.Sn., M.Sn., a lecturer from the Visual Communication Design study program of ITB FAD (Faculty of Arts and Design).
Aside from teaching, Guntur is a professional artist active in national and international exhibitions. In 2016, he designed stamps with illustrations of eclipses, and now he is back to designing stamps that signify important events despite being rarely used.
Guntur was proud of being directly requested by Bosscha Observatory Chief Dr. Premana Premadi to oversee the stamps’ design. The task took only four months—a relatively short time. However, the final artwork was extraordinary and meaningful. Esteemed public figures and guests were in awe of Guntur’s stamp pieces and were given one as a souvenir.
Guntur showcased the 100th anniversary of Bosscha Observatory in three stamp pieces. The first piece portrays the history of Bosscha, the founder and leading financier of the observatory building. Early construction of the observatory’s dome was drawn as well. Guntur admitted he finds Bosscha challenging to draw as his references are only based on old documentation.
"It was difficult to draw Bosscha's face, so I ended up drawing him looking up to the sky," Guntur explained during the event.
The second piece tells about the significant roles of Bosscha Observatory. Since it is located near the equator viewing both the northern and southern regions, it can provide much information about astronomy in the last 100 years, especially in the southern hemisphere. Guntur pictured these roles in the stamp design as a milky way galaxy.
The third piece depicts the observatory’s existence for hundreds of years ahead. The observatory will continue to flourish as a part of the development of astronomy and humanity. To illustrate such a scenario, Guntur drew a genderless figure observing celestial bodies, showing their contemplation on understanding their roles in the universe like us.
Reporter: Pravito Septadenova Dwi Ananta
Translator: Ruth Nathania
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