Iconic Photos documents at least two instances in which the U.S. postal service rewrote history, so to speak, taking smoking out of the stamp:
Pollack and Johnson are important figures in American history, who smoked before it carried the stigma it carries today, and whose smoking represents the time and culture that inspired their genius. How do you balance the desire to be historically accurate and true to the individual, with the desire to avoid endorsing a habit newly framed as a social problem?
Via BoingBoing.
Lisa Wade, PhD is an Associate Professor at Tulane University. She is the author of American Hookup, a book about college sexual culture; a textbook about gender; and a forthcoming introductory text: Terrible Magnificent Sociology. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
Comments 27
Jihad Punk XXX — January 14, 2011
By portraying smoking as a "disgusting habit" or as a social taboo, they're just going to encourage more kids to lit up in order to look "cool." They shouldn't have altered the photos! They could have used other vintage photos of both guys with NO cigs dangling from their mouths...
T — January 14, 2011
"Historically accurate" isn't the most important part of these types of stamp design -- other than getting the dates right and, perhaps, not depicting the person as an owner of a Toyota Prius. It's about creating an image, a tribute.
The "true to the individual" aspect is paramount. Are cigarettes a major part of this individual's identity?
In the case of Robert Johnson -- quick internet search -- and it seems that this image (and its variations) is the only one that prominently shows a cigarette. He's not the "Smoking Blues Man" or anything like that.
Same with Pollack -- would anyone even mention that fact that he smoked?
Now if they used a *historically accurate* image of, say, Jackson Pollack in a suit and tie at someone's wedding -- THAT would be problematic.
Niki — January 14, 2011
Q: "How do you balance the desire to be historically accurate and true to the individual, with the desire to avoid endorsing a habit newly framed as a social problem?"
A: You either choose photographs that don't present that problem, ie photographs where the individuals aren't smoking anyway, or you take a chance on using a potentially controversial photograph. These aren't the default stamps, anyway, they're commemorative special-edition stamps right? No one has to buy and/or use them if they want to mail something, they can use other types.
George — January 14, 2011
I am trying to decide whether or not this is intended to be an oblique reference to the recent Huckleberry Finn rewrite. If it is, I think it's quite effective.
Lady — January 14, 2011
I think it's interesting that they left Pollack's name off of his stamp. I'm not sure whether it is trying to portray abstract expressionism as a whole by just showing him (since that is all that's on the stamp) or if they just decided "Hey, all black people look the same, right? Let's slap Johnson's name on his stamp."
maevele — January 14, 2011
I'm more concerned by how there is a subtle expression difference on Robert Johnson's stamp. Once they took the smoke out of his mouth, it looks as though he is sneering.
lolo — January 14, 2011
In classes I've taken it was mentioned that Pollack would throw his cigarette butts onto the canvas and paint over them, integrating them into his work. I would say smoking was a part of his identity. Let's just photoshop ourselves a prettier history though...history doesn't REALLY matter.
katerina — January 14, 2011
I don't think anyone is learning history from looking at a stamp. If they are looking at it, they are collectors and they might be interested in certain people, if you are buying only specific stamps because you are a fan, or you are taking whatever they give you at the post office. I know some people collect stamps, and some people still mail their bill payments, and sure, a birthday card here or there and not even look at the stamp. Usually I'm not given much of a choice, but I can buy a book of stamps and the cost of a stamp will increase twice before I use them all. It's hard to get too excited whether they have a cigarette in their mouth or not.
Syd — January 14, 2011
Meh. They're drawings/paintings OF the pictures. Had they shopped the cigarettes out of the actual pictures that would be obnoxious, but notice that isn't the only thing different. In both pictures, the background is different (in Pollack's, the windows and other trappings of the room are replaced with a background reminiscent of his paintings; in Johnson's, the fabric background is replaced with a wood panel wall), Johnson's face and hand are in slightly different positions, and of course, both are in color! I don't think removing the cigarette is going to misrepresent them or history; they're historically known for painting and for blues music, respectively. Smoking was just something EVERY adult did at that time, their important and unique historical impacts haven't been erased or altered. And anyway, they're STAMPS. Was this a history book, sure, but does anyone pay much attention to stamps like that? I really don't see the point of removing the cigarette for the exact reason (kids don't think smoking is cool because someone on a stamp does it), but either way, I feel it's not an issue.
No al tabaco, ni en los sellos (Ing) — January 15, 2011
[...] No al tabaco, ni en los sellos (Ing) thesocietypages.org/socimages/2011/01/14/smokescreen-the-... por Lordo hace 2 segundos [...]
Mike Perazzetti — January 15, 2011
In the case of Robert Johnson, at least in the Rock 'N' Roll canon, he is pretty well known, but probably not by the less than musically fanatical. However, in regards to the expression on his face, Johnson was notoriously shy, even going so far as to record all of his twenty-nine sides with his back turned away from the recordist. He probably didn't like his photo taken. Additionally, it's not his photo that is as iconic as his music, but they had to use something, given that there are few photos that were actually taken of him.
Andy — January 19, 2011
"France gives back pipe to Jacques Tati and cigarette back to existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre"
Read more:
http://bit.ly/fVftYX
Source: The Daily Telegraph (Australia)
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