Philatelic News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 9, 2002
Stamp Release #02-038
Pop Art Icon Honored On United States Postage Stamp
WASHINGTON - He elevated the Campbell's soup can into a modern work of art. Artist, filmmaker and illustrator, Andy Warhol will be featured on a new commemorative postage stamp to be issued August 9 in Pittsburgh by the United States Postal Service.
The public is invited to the first day of issue ceremony, which will be held at 5:30 PM at The Andy Warhol Museum, 117 Sandusky Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The new stamp will be available in Pittsburgh starting August 9, and at post offices across the country beginning the following day.
"The Postal Service's stamp program offers Americans a diverse sampling of history, art and entertainment marking important milestones in the development of our nation," said S. David Fineman, Vice Chairman of the presidentially appointed Postal Service Board of Governors, who will dedicate the stamp. "This exciting new Andy Warhol stamp evokes the free and creative spirit in this country. We're sure it will be very popular with our customers and stamp collectors."
This year the Postal Service continues its celebration of the fine arts by paying tribute to Andy Warhol, a leading figure in the pop art movement and one of the most influential artists of his time.
Warhol's serial images of celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe and everyday objects such as Campbell's soup cans are perhaps his best known works. His career also included ventures in design, photography, film, television, writing and publishing.
The son of Carpatho-Rusyn immigrants, the artist was born Andrew Warhola on August 6, 1928, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After graduating in 1949 from the Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) with a fine arts degree, Warhol moved to New York City and made a name for himself in the advertising world with his whimsical and award-winning illustrations.
Warhol's paintings achieved instant notoriety in 1962 with his solo exhibition of the now famous Campbell's Soup can paintings at the Ferus Gallery in Los Angeles. In the same year, the Stable Gallery in New York City exhibited, among other works, his Coca-Cola bottles and portraits of Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley.
A shy man, who nevertheless sought publicity and fame, Warhol attracted many followers. His studio, known as the Factory, became a popular New York City haunt for an eclectic group of artists, socialites and musicians.
Andy Warhol-who died on February 22, 1987, in New York City-has remained world-famous far longer than the transitory fifteen minutes he once predicted for everyone. His influence continues in art and film, as well as in a wide range of other creative endeavors throughout contemporary popular culture.
The 37-cent stamp features Andy Warhol's Self-Portrait, 1964. Based on a photo-booth photograph, the image-silkscreen ink and synthetic polymer paint on canvas-is one of several versions in varying colors. The work is now in the collection of The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
A detail of a photograph taken by Factory photographer Billy Name and entitled Andy with Self-Portrait, 1967, appears on the selvage. There is no verso text; however, a famous Andy Warhol quotation appears on the selvage: "If you want to know all about Andy Warhol, just look at the surface: of my paintings and films and me, and there I am. There's nothing behind it."
Richard Sheaff was the art director and designer for this stamp.
In addition to a first day cover, the Postal Service is also featuring the Andy Warhol stamp on a special American Commemorative Panel. The panel, which sells for $8.50, will be available exclusively at the first day event. The panel will also be available through the "USA Philatelic" mail order catalog.
To see the Andy Warhol stamp, and other 2002 issues, visit www.usps.com. The stamp, and all recently issued stamps and philatelic products, as well as the free USA Philatelic catalog, are available by calling toll free 1 800 STAMP 24. The stamps, and a selection of current U.S. stamps and gift items, are also available at the Postal Store at usps.com. Images of many past and future stamp issues can be found in the Stamp Issues section of the Collector's Corner.
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TECHNICAL DETAILS
Issue: Andy Warhol
Item Number: 453100
Denomination & Type of Issue: 37-cent Commemorative
Format: Pane of 20 with Selvage (1 design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: August 9, 2002, Pittsburgh, PA 15290
Existing Art: Andy Warhol
Designer: Richard Sheaff, Scottsdale, AZ
Art Director: Richard Sheaff, Scottsdale, AZ
Typographer: Richard Sheaff, Scottsdale, AZ
Modeler: Donald H. Woo
Manufacturing Process: Gravure
Engraver: Southern Graphics
Printer: Sennett Security Products (SSP)
Printed at: American Packaging Corporation, Columbus, WI
Press Type: Rotomek, 3000
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 61 million stamps
Paper Type: Phosphor Tagged, Block
Gum Type: Pressure Sensitive
Processed at: Unique Binders, Fredericksburg, VA
Colors: Teal, Gray, Pink, Black, Gray, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.77 x 1.05 in./19.55 x 26.67 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.91 x 1.19 in /23.11 x 30.22 mm
Pane Size (w x h): 10 x 7.25 in /254 x 184.15 mm
Plate Size: 80 stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: "S" followed by six (6) single digits
Marginal Markings: " © 2001 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts/ARS, New York USPS" " Price " Plate Numbers " Plate Position Diagram " (2) UPC codes " Selvage text and portrait of Andy Warhol
Catalog Item Number(s): 453140 Pane of 20 w/plate no. and selvage - $7.40
453130 Block of 10 - $3.70
453120 Block of 4 - $1.48
453161 First Day Cover - $0.75
453193 Pane of 20 and First Day Cover - $8.15
HOW TO ORDER THE FIRST DAY OF ISSUE POSTMARK
Customers have 30 days to obtain the first day of issue postmark by mail. They may purchase the new stamps at their local post office, affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to: ANDY WARHOL COMMEMORATIVE STAMP, POSTMASTER, 1001 CALIFORNIA AVENUE PITTSBURGH PA 15233-9991. After applying the first day of issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark. All orders must be postmarked by September 9, 2002.
Stamp Fulfillment Services also offers first day covers for new stamp issues and postal stationery items postmarked with the official first day of issue cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the quarterly USA Philatelic catalog. Customers may request a free catalog by writing to: INFORMATION FULFILLMENT, DEPT 6270, US POSTAL SERVICE, PO BOX 219014, KANSAS CITY MO 64121-9014, or by calling 1 800 STAMP-24.
First day covers remain on sale for at least one year after the stamp's issuance.
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Since 1775, the U.S. Postal Service has connected friends, families, neighbors and businesses by mail. It is an independent federal agency that visits 137 million homes and businesses every day and is the only service provider to deliver to every address in the nation. The Postal Service receives no taxpayer dollars for routine operations, but derives its operating revenues solely from the sale of postage, products and services. With annual revenues of more than $65 billion, it is the world's leading provider of postal services, offering some of the most affordable postage rates in the world. The Postal Service delivers more than 46 percent of the world's mail volume-some 207 billion letters, advertisements, periodicals and packages a year-and serves 7 million customers each day at its 40,000 retail locations nationwide.
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