Every stamp release represents unique challenges, yet certain aspects unite them all. For example, nearly every stamp represents a collaboration between an art director and an artist — but sometimes the artist in question passed from the scene decades ago. Further, every stamp must balance a variety of opinions. The final interested party, of course, is the stamp-buying public. Each layer of input makes an essential contribution to the success of the final creative collaboration. One might call this process a collage.
Romare Bearden was one of the giants of the 20th-century art scene. Artist, writer, and stage designer, Bearden is most celebrated for his groundbreaking approach to collage. Harnessing cut paper, foil, fabrics, and other materials, Bearden crafted each subtle layer into pieces eloquently expressing universal human themes.
The Romare Bearden issuance, released in conjunction with the 100th centennial of his birth, constitutes a collaboration between Bearden and art director Derry Noyes. But since Bearden passed away in 1988, this collaboration did not mean interacting with the artist, but rather, with his work — as well as experts who know it best.
The first step was choosing the right artwork. “Bearden had such a rich, detailed style,” Noyes says. “We needed pieces that celebrate his genius and still translate to stamp size. His art was never intended to be that small.”
Noyes decided on four collages: Conjunction (1971); Odysseus: Poseidon, The Sea God—Enemy of Odysseus (1977); Prevalence of Ritual: Conjur Woman (1964); and Falling Star (1979). Each displays the inventive style of Bearden’s work, yet has dimensions that work well at stamp size.
See the final four pieces of artwork used on the stamps.
Conjunction (1971) is a large work showing a Southern social scene, reflecting Bearden’s recollections of his early childhood. The work celebrates the human activity of connecting through touch and conversation, and pays homage to the Southern quilt-making tradition suggested by the fabrics of the women’s brightly patterned dresses.
Odysseus: Poseidon, The Sea God—Enemy of Odysseus (1977) is one of many images by Bearden based on literary sources. Poseidon was the archenemy of Odysseus in Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey; his image here reveals Bearden’s deep exploration of the human condition.
Prevalence of Ritual: Conjur Woman is one of a series of important collages Bearden made in 1964. The power and dignity of the black woman was a central theme in his work, and the spiritual and mysterious “conjur” woman was a recurring subject.
Falling Star (1979) juxtaposes the ordinary, a domestic interior, with the marvelous, as seen through its windows. Bearden uses layers of meaning in this work, addressing universal human experience.
The process included partnering with research firm PhotoAssist, to assure that Bearden’s body of work was well represented. PhotoAssist worked with museum curators and art experts to determine that the pieces were appropriate. Next, Noyes and designer Margaret Bauer developed a distinct structure for the pane — one that set the images apart and gave them room to breathe. The final sheet contains 16 stamps, rather than the usual 20, with four columns staggered vertically.
“Bearden did so much in music, which added to the liveliness of his art,” Noyes explains. “So in the end, I did not want to have just a solid, straight block of stamps.” This unique layout would not be possible without another collaboration, with the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee, which approves all designs — and helped Noyes refine the approach that represents Bearden’s artistic spirit.
To further do so, Noyes decided against including a formal portrait in favor of a photo of Bearden standing over his work area. “It’s informative to see him in action” she says. “It shows the way he worked, standing up, cutting paper for his collages — not sitting down, painting at an easel.”
Noyes now looks forward to a final collaboration. She often goes to the Post Office to see how stamps are displayed for sale. She hopes the unique visual approach of the Romare Bearden pane will make a connection with collectors and the stamp-buying public — the last arbiters of the success of any stamp release.
Art © Romare Bearden Foundation/Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY.
Photograph © Frank Stewart/Black Light Productions