INDIGENOUS PEOPLE - United Nations Postal Administration - ONU

The artistThe stamps were designed by StephenBennett (U.S.A.). Mr. Bennett is a dedicatedportrait painter living in New YorkCity. He makes annual trips around theworld to paint portraits of indigenouspeople. Young, old, joyful and witheredfaces populate these vibrant canvases,celebrating a variety of ethnic strains in atapestry painted with strong brushwork.His objective is to share his experiences ofthe diversity of human life. His work hasbeen used to promote and preservecultures in the United States, Mexico, SaintMartin, Panama, French Polynesia, theSeychelles, the United Republic of Tanzania,Namibia, Borneo and Australia, Indonesia,Malaysia and Papua New Guinea.Mr. Bennett has a keen sense of observation,and the ability to bring out thebeauty of a face. He succeeds in his artisticendeavours thanks to his appreciation ofhuman differences, his generosity and hisdesire to understand others. He has aspecial ability to express and bring light toa face by his play with colours. For him, aface is a treasure.His vision is education through art ona global scale. He is driven by a desire tocomplete an international exhibition of1,000 portraits from the world over,painted by his own hand. This enormousproject is ambitious, but needed at a timewhen the world is particularly conflicted.The common thread throughout his workis to show the beauty in the human face,and beauty is his universal theme that tiesus all together. All too often, indigenouspeople are pushed to the fringes ofmodern society. The power of thesevibrant portraits and their public exhibitionhelps return the beauty and relevancyof indigenous people to a genuine level ofsocial and cultural importance, much tothe benefit of us all.In 2003, Mr. Bennett founded Facesof the World, Inc., a not-for-profit organizationthat is dedicated to expandingglobal awareness of people through arteducation and cultural exchange. Heworks internationally teaching portraitworkshops and creating exhibits that helpchildren and adults alike take pride in theirculture through portraiture. Faces of theWorld is funded from the sale ofMr. Bennett’s paintings, donations andsponsorship. For more information, visitwww.facesoftheworld.net.Mr. Bennett states, “I am a portraitpainter because of my passion for thewonderful diversity of the world’s people.My portraits convey a fusion of my feelingsfor each subject with an intuitive use ofcolour. I intensify them in celebration ofthat person’s existence. I hope my portraitsreveal that every person of every race andculture is interconnected, indispensableand radiant with astonishing beauty.” Mr.Bennett extends an invitation to all tosuggest new ways in which his work canbe used as a forum for cultural awareness.These are Mr. Bennett’s first stampdesigns for the United Nations.9