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FAQ
How do two people create graphic art together?
They did not sit at one table holding a pencil or brush together. The practice was that one brother drew a sketch and then they consulted. The consultations were in German - the language in which they studied graphic art in Berlin.
Which of the two brothers created the State emblem?
The Shamir brothers made sure that they shared the credit for all the studio's works. Who drew the initial sketch of the State emblem? The brothers took this secret to their grave.
Are there works that can be attributed to one brother or another?
Absolutely. Before opening the studio in Tel Aviv - Gabriel worked in Stockholm
At the same time Maxim worked in Riga. When Gabriel returned to Riga they opened the Sheftelovitz Brothers Studio. In October 1934 Maxim emigrated with his wife to Eretz Israel and worked alone until his brother and sister-in-law joined them in May 1935. In 1958, Maxim worked in England and Gabriel ran the studio in Tel Aviv. In 1974 they decided on the friendly dissolution of the studio. They continued to create graphics each separately for nearly another 20 years.
Many of the posters are in the style of socialist realism. They studied in Berlin during the Bauhaus period. Where did the Soviet influence come from?
There is a great similarity between the propaganda of totalitarian regimes and the propaganda of revolutionary movements. Heroic figures, flags, clenched fists, chains - are common characteristics. Shamir Brothers served the Zionist movement which was a revolutionary anti-colonialist movement. Today, after a 70-year rule in Israel, Zionism is perceived as an establishment movement.
Shamir's style is not even and kept changing in those years. Why did it happen?
This is a result of the Shamir Brothers' basic approach to customer service. The artwork is not an expression of the artist's feelings but rather is intended to reflect the client's goals. Shamir simultaneously produced works in a realistic style, abstract style, humorous drawings, etchings like prints etc.
Did they write the titles and message texts?
Most of the texts were written by advertisers, and Shamir sometimes offered titles or slogans.
Shamir are perceived as poster designers. Did they see themselves that way?
First of all they are recognised as the designers of the State emblem. Stamp collectors see them as international stamp designers. Medal collectors - medal designers. Each of the brothers had a different view on the hierarchy of graphic media: Gabriel placed emblems/logos, then medals, stamps, posters, and advertisements in that order while Maxim thought that the graphics' summit were stamps, then posters, medals, and at the bottom newspaper ads.
Where are Shamir works held?
The most comprehensive collection of their known works is displayed in a digital format on www.shamir-brothers.com. Good collections of Shamir posters can also be found at the Israel National Library, the Zionist Central Archive, Lavon Institute and the Sharett Archive of the Labor Party. The Eretz Israel Museum has collections of Shamir stamps and medals. In addition, many works are held in private collections.
How did the Shamir brothers come to design stamps in Africa, Central America and more?
As part of the State of Israel's foreign aid to African countries, the Government Printer produced their postage stamps. The graphic design was commissioned from Israeli designers. During his stay in England, Maxim forged contacts with The Crown Agents, which provide a variety of services to Commonwealth countries, including creation and printing of their postage stamps. The third agent for such work was the Intergovernmental Philatelic Corp in New York, which produced stamps for various countries around the world.
The emblem of the Israel Postal services was changed, the cup of Tnuva's cottage cheese was changed, even the State Emblem has been modified or abandoned. How do you react?
Such changes are the result of the egos of CEOs or ministers who want to make their mark on the history of their organization: If a company wants to brand itself as a modern organisation, it is possible by modest graphic means to give a veteran icon or packaging a fresh face. Tnuva did a great job with its refreshed look of the cottage cheese cup. Israel Postal services, on the other hand, failed with its split bodied deer, and what is done with the State Emblem attests to governmental chaos.