This is one of the most unusual submissions of the week. It’s by Jim Matusik, and he included this text:
Recently I inherited a huge stamp collection. I was not going to become a collector, but i was charmed by the beauty of all the imagery and wanted to use them in my photography. i started out in a straight forward manner by placing them atop other images, but then the collages become more complex. At any rate, let the following portfolio be the first chapter.
Sometimes an image becomes merchandise that is paid for and put into service. In this case it is a tiny paper marvel that can propel objects long distances for little money.
Presenting the small but mighty postage stamp that has been successfully uniting loved ones,and promoting commerce, since its humble beginning in Great Britan on May 1st 1840. With The Penny Black, bearing a picture of Queen Victoria, you could send a 1/2 ounce letter anywhere in the UK. It took seven more years for The United States to catch up, and by then it cost a nickel.
Since then, The Postage Stamp has become a paper visionary promoting history and cultural philosophies. It can be the portrait of an entire nation, its heroes, or its achievements. It can hold a dream for the future, or in my case, be used to create a dreamscape, blending its power and beauty with art
My stamps are spun out of context and their beautiful imagery enters a strange new world.. Their visual energy is used to transform atypical backgrounds into foreign destinations. Sometimes cultural icons help to pave the way.
So the power of industry becomes a dream of something new and exciting because it now has mystery and humor. And it has a new identity.
The stamp has become a story.
Jim Matusik
