ARTWORK BY AMIT SHIMONI || WORDS BY AMIT MEHTA
The iconic leaders of our time seen as modern-day hipsters. Created by Amit Shimoni, with a passion for illustration and captivating the imagination of his audience with fictional illustrations of historical figures. Shimoni often finds himself thinking about the different between the world’s greatest leaders, their beliefs, motivations and aspirations, versus that of today’s generation
The ‘Y’ generation is constantly looking at fashion and style as their way of self-expression while steering away from true ideologies. HIPSTORY was created to re-imagine the great leaders of modern history and place them in a different time and culture- ours.
HIPSTORY wishes not to criticize, but to shed new light on the way we think of ourselves and the figures who inspire us.
Amit Shimoni is a young designer whose love is illustrating.
”I think anything can be turned into an illustration.” He tells BASIC in his in depth interview. “Whether it is scenery or a feeling; and I believe an illustration has a place anywhere, whether it is in the Louvre, or on coasters in someone’s home, if it is illustrated I love it.”
He describes his creation process as a game of “Ping-Pong” with the reality that he captures things that arouse thoughts and feelings within himself, and through his filters, he brings it back to the world as a drawing. “I hope that after going through my filters, these final outcomes with light something in others, or at least give them something to contemplate about, but not less important I hope they will find them beautiful.”
When asked how the HIPSTORY project was created, Shimoni stated, “HIPSTORY started when I reflected on the Israeli culture and leaders in the past, and compared them with today. I started depicting and illustrating the Israeli generation of founding fathers of the country. The reaction was amazing. People, young and old were inspired, and as well, had their own perspective of the series. Everyone had some thing to connect with.” as his art is affordable to most, Shimoni exhibit primarily in small galleries and pubs, and sells copies of the illustrations online. “ I see no shame in doing art that is sold at relatively cheap prices if they can be accessible to anyone. The hippie students and the middle age novo-rich alike.” He explained.
HIPSTORY wishes to reimagine the great leaders of modern history, and to place them in a different time and culture – ours. In our time and culture, the ‘hig’ ideologies are lost- we have grown tires, or perhaps too smart, to follow big systems of absolute ideas and beliefs. And doing so have we got some thing in this process? With nothing to hold onto, we are becoming global beings – focused more on our individual selves and less on society and ideology.
When asked who his favorite in the series is, he replied, “My favorite is probably Lincoln, after all he was my first, and he is the oldest, he is so detached from the hipster scene.”
HIPSTORY wishes not to criticize, but to shed new light on the way we think of ourselves and the figures who inspire us.
