Was Shamaï Haber an urban sculptor or a city sculptor? Here at the Shamaï Haber Stone, we celebrate a man who blurred those lines. Shamaï Haber, born in Poland in 1922, was a sculptor who made Paris his home. He passed away here in 1995.
Haber’s journey took him from Poland to Luxembourg and then to Israel. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Tel Aviv with Moshe Sternschuss. Then, in 1949, Paris beckoned.
From the 1960s, Shamaï Haber worked with massive stone and concrete blocks. Think big. His sculptures found homes in public parks and fountains. In 1965, he collaborated with Yitzhak Danziger on a sculpture for the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. It was Israel’s largest sculpture.
But Shamaï Haber is perhaps best known for his fountain Le Creuset du Temps. It stood in the Place de Catalogne in Paris near his studio. Sadly, it was dismantled in 2022. In 1959, he received the Prize for sculpture of Anton Bourdelle.
Shamaï Haber’s legacy extends beyond Le Creuset du Temps. His works include Composition sur un plateau at the Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo. There is also Compositie voor een tuin in Amsterdam. You can also find his work at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.
In 1973, Haber created the Monument commémoratif de la prison du Cherche-Midi. It stands next to the Maison des Sciences de l’Homme. Two years later, in 1975, he created Cathédrale. It is on display at the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris. Haber also designed the Fontaine Littré in 1983, which has unfortunately disappeared.
Shamaï Haber wasn’t just a sculptor. He was an artist with a vision. He wanted to sculpt cities, not just decorate buildings. Haber used stone, trees, and plants to bring spaces to life.
He even created the Monument commémoratif de la prison du Cherche-Midi in 1973. It’s a sculpture next to the Maison des Sciences de l’Homme. Haber used 300 tons of granite from Brittany for this work. He aimed to create a connection between the street, the building, and the garden.
Interestingly, Shamaï Haber chose to leave his sculptures nameless. He wanted them to be like a first stone laid without fanfare. It’s a fitting sentiment for an artist who sought to sculpt cities. He didn’t want to create mere decorations.
Shamaï Haber’s work sparked debate. Some Parisians found his sculptures ugly. Others appreciated his humor. Haber’s art was meant to be evident, not just pretty.
His work also includes a sculpture in Gruissan. The sculptures are similar to those in Paris. This shows Haber’s consistent artistic vision.
Shamaï Haber died in 1995. His wife, Sèrita, passed away the day after him. Shamaï Haber was buried at the Montparnasse cemetery.
He left behind a legacy of monumental sculptures and a vision for urban spaces. He wanted to create environments. He also wanted to evoke emotions. The Shamaï Haber Stone stands as a testament to his vision. It reminds us of an artist who sought to sculpt cities and touch lives.