Frida Kahlo Mexican Artist Honored by US Stamp
David O. Garcia
for her striking self-portraits, will be honored by the U.S. Postal Service
next month with the issuance of the Frida Kahlo commemorative stamp on June
21 in Phoenix, Ariz. This is the first Hispanic woman to be honored with a
U.S. postage stamp. The Mexican Postal Service will issue a similar Frida
Kahlo stamp on the same day.
The U.S. ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. (MST) at Phoenix Art Museum, 1625
North Central Avenue. The 34-cent Frida Kahlo stamp will be available at
Phoenix post offices starting June 21. It will be available at post offices
across the country beginning the following day.
"The Postal Service has a proud tradition of honoring those special people
who have had a significant influence on American history, art and culture,"
said Benjamin P. Ocasio, Vice President, Diversity Development, for the
Postal Service, who will be the dedicating official for the event.
NEW INFORMATION ADDED
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 8, 2001
POSTAGE STAMP NEWS ALERT - FRIDA KAHLO U.S.
Please be advised that the Frida Kahlo U.S. commemorative postage stamp,
scheduled for issuance in the United States on June 21 at Phoenix Art Museum
in Phoenix, AZ, will not be a joint issuance with Mexico.
For questions about the Mexican stamp issuance, and to place orders, please
contact:
Lic. Jacquelin Calderon Garrido
Jefe del Departamento de Promocion Filatelica Servicio Postal Mexicano
Netzahualcoyotl No. 109-6 piso Col. Centro C.P. 06080 Mexico D.F.
Telephone: 52 5 722 96 74
Fax: 52 5 722 96 72
Email: fi...@sepomex.gob.mx
# # #
"The Frida Kahlo stamp allows us to reach out across communities to let
everyone know that this organization has a commitment to diversity that
involves both our customers and our employees. Our stamp program is a
wonderful reflection of this commitment," he said.
Joining Ocasio will be Charles Davis, District Manager, Postal Service;
James K. Ballinger, Director of the Phoenix Art Museum and Skip Rimsza,
Mayor of Phoenix.
Phoenix Art Museum is currently featuring the exhibit "Frida Kahlo, Diego
Rivera and Twentieth-Century Mexican Art: The Jacques and Natasha Gelman
Collection" at the museum's Steele Gallery until June 24. The Gelman
Collection is widely regarded as the world's most significant private
holding of 20th century Mexican art, and contains the painting featured on
the stamp, Frida Kahlo's "Self-Portrait with Necklace."
"Phoenix Art Museum is proud to have been chosen to host this prestigious
event and provide an opportunity for people to see the original painting
featured on the stamp," said James K. Ballinger, director of Phoenix Art
Museum.
Kahlo was born in Coyoacan, Mexico, on July 6, 1907. Stricken by polio in
early childhood and seriously injured in a streetcar accident at the age of
18, Kahlo endured severe pain throughout her life. The artist's physical
suffering, her inability to bear children, and her tumultuous marriage to
Mexican muralist Diego Rivera are reflected in much of her work.
While the subject of Kahlo's art was primarily autobiographical, her style
was influenced by 19th century art and Mexican folk art traditions. During
her lifetime she exhibited her paintings in New York City, Paris and Mexico
City.
After her death in 1954, Kahlo's audience grew. Her work has significantly
influenced Chicana artists in the United States, and since the mid-1970s she
has been a role model for women in the Mexican-American and feminist
communities.
The stamp art features an oil-on-metal self-portrait painted in 1933 and
signed Frieda Kahlo. Until the late 1930s, she spelled her name with an "e",
in the German manner-although it is spelled Frida on her birth certificate.
Designed by Richard Sheaff of Scottsdale, Ariz., the pane includes 20 stamps
of one design, a selvage photo and the quotation: "I paint self-portraits
because I am so often alone, because I am the person I know best." The color
photograph of Kahlo on the selvage is a carbro print made by renowned
portrait photographer Nickolas Muray. Muray did not date his photographs,
but this one was probably taken in the late 1930s.
To see the Frida Kahlo stamp, and other forthcoming stamps and stationery in
the 2001 U.S. stamp program, visit www.usps.com and click on "Stamp Release
Schedule." To see previous releases, select "Index of Stamp Issues."
All current stamps and other philatelic products, as well as a free
philatelic catalog, are available by calling toll free 1 800 STAMP-24. A
selection of current stamps and gift items are also available online at the
Postal Store.
--
David O. Garcia
Hampton, VA
http://communities.msn.com/davidogarciaphotography
J. Manuel Urrutia
>
> WASHINGTON, D.C. - Frida Kahlo, the world-renown Mexican artist best known
> for her striking self-portraits, will be honored by the U.S. Postal Service
> next month with the issuance of the Frida Kahlo commemorative stamp on June
> 21 in Phoenix, Ariz. This is the first Hispanic woman to be honored with a
> U.S. postage stamp. The Mexican Postal Service will issue a similar Frida
> Kahlo stamp on the same day.
Hummm. When I first read this bit of news, I was mystified: ol' Frida is
both a Hispanic and a Mexican? On top of that, Frida did not practice
her art in the US nor was she a luminary in the Mexican-American
community of her time. But then it click, as I put on my pocho hat: she
is an icon among Chicanos simply because of her gender and her
association with Rivera. This is enough for the USPO to create a stamp
with her on it. I wonder what she would think of all this if she were
alive...
BTW, I have never seen a stamp with Chavez in it. Did I miss it? If I
didn't, doesn't that tell you something about how much "diversity" is in
the minds of the USPO managers?
--
- J. Manuel Urrutia | El que tiene mas saliva, -
- urrutia...@ucla.edu (remove TAKEOUT!) | traga mas pinole -
-----If opinions are found in this note, they are mine and not UC's-----
David O. Garcia
increasing as a result.