The United Nations Rain Forest
Stamps
On June 19,1998, the United Nations
Postal Administration issued this set of three commemorative
stamps and three souvenir sheets on the theme "Rainforests"
to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the World
Health Organization. Garcia painted three stunning
rainforest scenes, which form the basis for his first
United Nations stamp and souvenir issue. In addition
he also created the artwork for the official cachets.
Never before in human history has there been a more
reckless and irresponsible degree of interference
in nature. Forest destruction by clearing and land-use
changes and forest degradation through excessive and
destructive exploitation cause an irreversible loss
of biological diversity in the tropics. The tropical
forests provide the habitat for an estimated share
of between 50% to 90% of all the species of fauna
and flora that exists on Earth. Tropical Forests maintain
equilibrium of the climate system especially temperature
balance.On June 19 1998, the United Nations Postal
Administration (UNPA) issued a set of three commemorative
stamps and three souvenir sheets on the theme “Rainforests”
to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the World Health
Organization (WHO).
Rick Garcia was commissioned for his first issue of
U.N. stamps in 1998 and used his surreal imagery to
illustrate the disruption and destruction occurring
to the worlds Rainforests. Three separate paintings
depict an Orangutan, a Jaguar, and an Ocelot each
in their own environment unaware of the human intrusion.
The Orangutan is clinging onto a vine holding it’s
new born in a landscape where the sky has been turned
upside down to symbolize the endangerment. |
 |
'Orangutan'
This painting remains in Garcia's private collection
and depicts a surreal situation where a mother and baby
Orangutan cling onto a branch while the world behind
them has been reversed to show a lush rainforest landscape
above the sky.
(click image to view full painting) |
 |
'Ocelot'
This painting shows an extremely
lush rainforest depicting a pond with very thick vegetation
and a pond which includes orchids and passion flower.
The creatures depicted are a hummingbird, butterflies,
toucan and the Ocelot, all used in this image because
of their listing on the endanger- ed list. The background
consist of a second mountainscape which appears as an
illusion filled with clouds and vegetation including
a waterfall and birds are seen flying towards this image.
(click image to view full painting) |
 |
'Jaguar'
A very stunning image of
a Jaguar seemingly to be hiding from mankind under the
cover of a surreal landscape in which the land and water
blankets the Jaguar. Besides the Jaguar, four other
endangered creatures appear. A Heron is walking through
a pond where it reflection is made of clouds. A Macaw
parrot flies overhead, and a butterfly clings to the
leaf with a little green frog below.
(click image to view full painting) |
International Year of
Freshwater
Voted the most beautiful stamp issued by the U.N.P.A. in the year 2003 by collectors in Europe through the stamp magazine "Deutsche Briefmarken-Revue"
The United Nations General Assembly
adopted a resolution on Dec. 20, 2000, initiated by
the Government of Tajikistan and supported by 148
other countries, proclaiming the year 2003 as the
International Year of Freshwater.
On June 20, 2003 the United Nations
Postal Administration (UNPA) issued a set of six commemorative
stamps on the theme "International Year of Freshwater".
This was the second time the UNPA commissioned acclaimed
artist, Rick Garcia, to again use his surreal and
colorful imagery to portray this crisis in three paintings.
Each painting depicts a scene of various
people and natural wildlife intertwining in a landscape
of three different regions such as a swamp, mountain
scene during the fall season, and a northern high
country area in winter. Garcia’s known use of
hidden messages and/or icons was an extra-added touch
to help convey the message.
|
| 'Swamp' |
 |
| This painting shows a person
in a canoe gliding through pristine waters and vegetation
towards the exposed shallow depth of the remaining water,
as well as the man-created waste embedded in the sand
below. Some of the symbolic images include the reflection
of all the surrounding trees but not of the canoeist.
A sign that this simple pleasure may soon disappear.
A yellow butterfly hanging by the end of a leaf, skulls
in the center of the orchids, disjointed tree trunks,
all help illustrate that something is at the edge of
collapse. |
| 'Fall Waterfall' |
 |
| This mountain scene depicts
a waterfall during a bright and sunny day in which people
are enjoying the outdoors. They are seen in a state
of metamorphisis blending in with the remaining crystal
clear water of this mountain lake. To symbolize the
threat of losing the freshwater, skulls can be found
camouflaged into the scenery. |
| 'Mountain Snowfall' |
 |
| In a high mountain area, a heavy snowfall
borders an empty river bed. Ghostlike horses appear
and drink from the remaining patches of ice on the river
bottom. It is a surreal setting of a vanishing scene
where horses and people used to come and enjoy the river. |
