Lou Posner: The Interface Between Life and Art
Influenced by British Commonwealth commemorative postage stamps of the 1930s, Papasan combines Posner's lifelong interest in stamp collecting with his experiences in Vietnam. An avid collector, Posner was particularly fond of stamps featuring King George. Here, he adapted the familiar design of a commemorative stamp, placing his own self-portrait in the oval traditionally reserved for royalty. The central image depicts an elderly Vietnamese man standing in a rural landscape, while the surrounding decorative borders and perforated edges reinforce the illusion of an oversized postage stamp. The painting brings together two seemingly unrelated worlds: the formal traditions of British stamp design and the people and places Posner encountered during his service in Vietnam. Papasan is reproduced in Vietnam: Reflexes and Reflections, published by Harry N. Abrams, Inc. in 1998.