Interview: Hungarian designer hopes her Year of Dragon stamp connects Hungary, China

Photo taken on Feb. 7, 2024 shows a first-day cover with the stamps of the Year of the Dragon and the signature of Katalin Bodi, the Hungarian designer of the Year of the Dragon commemorative stamp recently issued by the Hungarian Post, in Budapest, Hungary. Katalin Bodi said she hoped her work could help deepen the connection between Hungary and China. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

BUDAPEST, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Katalin Bodi, the Hungarian designer of the Year of the Dragon commemorative stamp recently issued by the Hungarian Post, said she hoped her work could help deepen the connection between Hungary and China.

"The fact that Hungary issues a stamp on the Chinese zodiac theme, the main message to both Hungarians and Chinese might be that we get to know each other's culture and try to understand it," she told Xinhua in an exclusive interview.

The Hungarian Post began issuing Chinese zodiac stamps in 2014. This year's dragon stamp is the 11th edition.

"Our way of thinking is very different, the (dragon) figure evokes very different associations, but it's very worthwhile to get to know the other side," she said. "Since quite a few Chinese people live among us in business life and in everyday work but also next door, I think that such a stamp can also provide an opportunity for dialogue."

The designer, who was chosen through a competition to design the commemorative stamp, employed red, gold, and white colors for the stamp, depicting two pairs of skilfully drawn dragons -- two red on white and two gold on red, with the "Year of the Dragon" in both Chinese and Hungarian. The stamp will be printed in 20,000 copies.

Reflecting on her design journey, Bodi shared her insights into navigating cross-cultural challenges, particularly in understanding the Chinese dragon, a symbol rich in meaning and cultural significance.

"Hungarian designers are not very prepared for Far Eastern motifs because our training does not really cover such themes. I had to research the traditional Chinese way of depicting dragons, the meaning of dragons, obviously focusing on the dragon figure," she said. "I read that it is a very energetic, powerful being with a positive meaning, so I tried to find a pose for it that expresses joy, strength, and happiness."

She also researched color symbolism to ensure that the colors are appropriately utilized to embody the Chinese dragon's strength and festive spirit. "I looked at previously designed stamps and, considering this art form, the colors are festive, radiating strength, so it was clear that it should not be done in bright multicolor but in solemn gold and red," she said.

Blending Hungarian and Chinese cultures in her work led her to deeper contemplation over artistic interpretation. When asked about how much Chinese and how much Hungarian her depiction of the dragon was, she humorously said that it was "as Chinese as a Hungarian graphic artist can draw."

Despite never visiting China, the designer's curiosity and admiration for the country and its culture remain undiminished. She hopes to one day witness firsthand the landscapes, people, and traditions that inspired her stamps, believing that such experiences could further enrich her artistic expression. "I think there would be plenty to see, to experience, and then I could probably create even more authentic stamps and pictures."

Bodi extended blessings for the upcoming Chinese New Year in both Hungarian and Chinese. "May everything they hope for from this come true. May it be a time of revival, a new era of strength," she said. 

Katalin Bodi, the Hungarian designer of the Year of the Dragon commemorative stamp recently issued by the Hungarian Post, signs on a first-day cover with the stamps of the Year of the Dragon in Budapest, Hungary, on Feb. 7, 2024. Katalin Bodi said she hoped her work could help deepen the connection between Hungary and China. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

Katalin Bodi, the Hungarian designer of the Year of the Dragon commemorative stamp recently issued by the Hungarian Post, shows a first-day cover with the stamps of the Year of the Dragon in Budapest, Hungary, on Feb. 7, 2024. Katalin Bodi said she hoped her work could help deepen the connection between Hungary and China. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

Katalin Bodi, the Hungarian designer of the Year of the Dragon commemorative stamp recently issued by the Hungarian Post, signs on a first-day cover with the stamps of the Year of the Dragon in Budapest, Hungary, on Feb. 7, 2024. Katalin Bodi said she hoped her work could help deepen the connection between Hungary and China. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

Katalin Bodi, the Hungarian designer of the Year of the Dragon commemorative stamp recently issued by the Hungarian Post, shows a first-day cover with the stamps of the Year of the Dragon in Budapest, Hungary, on Feb. 7, 2024. Katalin Bodi said she hoped her work could help deepen the connection between Hungary and China. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)