New York City

A Portrait Through Stamp Art
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New York City: A Portrait Through Stamp Art

December 10, 2015 - May 14, 2017

This exhibition of original artwork explored the diversity of topics highlighting the cultural heritage of New York City. The exhibition provided an opportunity to raise awareness of the Postmaster General’s Collection which the museum acquired through a long-term agreement with the United States Postal Service. Thirty pieces of original artwork divided into six categories of stamp art relevant to the city’s heritage were displayed. These categories—Baseball, Broadway, City Life, Icons, Politics and Government, and Music—depicted a variety of art styles and mediums used to create some of America’s most beautiful stamps. The artwork celebrate important citizens, events and iconic buildings that have defined New York City as one of the greatest cities in the world.

Statue of Liberty stamp art

New York City’s architecture and icons are immediately recognized around the world. Grand Central Station, the Empire State Building, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, and the Ellis Island Immigration Museum are masterpieces of architectural design and engineering. These and other iconic landmarks help bring the city’s history and stories to life, attracting visiting tourists and local New Yorkers alike.

Fiorello H. LaGuardia stamp art

New York City has one of the largest municipal governments in the US. The city’s leaders have tended to champion progressive government initiatives and have frequently used their positions as springboards to state and national political roles. Because the city has a large immigrant population, municipal leaders have often exerted influence outside the US. The city’s international role has attracted global institutions, such as the United Nations.

Show Boat stamp art

Broadway is much more than a major thoroughfare running through Manhattan. The word evokes the section of Broadway between 42nd Street and 53rd Street, which includes Times Square and is home to more than 40 professional theaters. This is the "Great White Way,” where theater marquees illuminate the evening and convey the pulse of a city that never sleeps. Broadway has helped make New York City a cultural capital of the world.

Joe DiMaggio stamp art

New York City once had three major league teams: the New York Yankees, the Brooklyn Dodgers, and the New York Giants. Fourteen World Series match-ups have pitted New York City teams against one another, and the famed Yankees have won the World Series 27 times. When a New Yorker (James Farley) became Postmaster General, he approved the issuance of the first baseball stamp in 1939 commemorating the baseball centennial.

Immigrants Arrive stamp art

New York City grew from a small Dutch trading settlement called New Amsterdam in the early seventeenth century into a bustling multicultural city of more than 8 million people. Influenced by geography, and by ethnic, cultural and economic diversity, New York City has been a major entry port for immigrants from across the globe. Iconic elements of New York City life include its complex transportation system, established seasonal traditions, and recognizable popular culture personalities.

Jazz Flourishes stamp art

New York City is a vibrant hub for music, film, dance and visual art. The city’s cultural and ethnic diversity has long influenced its music and dance heritage, with jazz, rock, hip-hop, salsa, and other styles thriving in all five boroughs. New York City is also home to many musical conservatories and landmarks, such as the Metropolitan Opera House and Carnegie Hall.