Rachel Neiman
October 13, 2013

Abram Games is considered one of the most prominent British designers of the 20th century. Over a career spanning six decades, he designed posters, packaging and logos for international clients that included British Airways, Guinness and Shell, as well as the London Tube, newspaper The Times of London and the BBC.

Games was also Jewish and a strong supporter of the State of Israel. His contributions to Israel in its early years included designs featuring his distinctive modernist style, color and typography.

A new exhibition, Abram Games – In his own way, opening at the Shenkar College of Engineering and Design, presents works by Games, including his Israel-related designs.
 
The young State of Israel invited Games to design postage stamps and mailing seals for the Postal Authority, as well as posters encouraging tourism and settlement…

And stamps for events such as the 3rd Macccabiah games in 1950.

A lovely essay, Abram Games – The Art of Remembrance, can be found on Britain’s Jewish Military Museum website. It refers to a stained glass window honoring the  Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen and Women (AJEX) who served in the Second World War — a group that included Games.

As part of his army service during World War II, Games was an Official War Artist and designed many of the official announcements used in British public diplomacy. To a large extent, these works — such as the posters encouraging citizens to join the war effort, grow their own vegetable gardens and serve in the military — shaped an entire generation.

Researcher Sarah Fairhurst writes: “…Games served in the Hertfordshire Regiment and spent a year with the Infantry before being commissioned as a war artist. He felt the war was just and knew what he was fighting for. He decided that his art had to be his own way of fighting the enemy and designed more than a hundred wartime posters.”

“Daniel Games told us that Judaism was central to his father’s life and he was very conscious of his Jewishness. He worked on lots of other Jewish projects including postage stamps for Israel, front covers for the Jewish Chronicle, the buttons of the Royal Armoured Corps and several Jewish school badges…”

The show’s curators are Israel Prize laureates in the field of design, Prof. Yarom Vardimon, who is also Dean of the Faculty of Design at Shenkar, and Prof. Dan Reisinger, both of whom knew Games professionally and personally.  

Games’ daughter, Naomi Games, will participate in a gallery talk at 12:00 noon on October 22 and speak about her father’s work.
 
Abram Games – In his own way will be on display at the Shenkar College of Engineering and Design, Mitchell building gallery, 8 Yeda Am St., Tel Aviv from October 15-31. Opening hours : Sunday – Thursday – 20:00 to 10:00, Friday – 13:00 to 10:00 . Opening event in the presence of family and curators will be held on Tuesday, October 15, at 19:00. For more information, visit the exhibition Facebook page.

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