Yaacov Agam (1928-

Yaacov Agam (1928- Yaacov Agam—progenitor of the Kinetic Art movement—change is inevitable.
Born in 1928 in Rishon LeZion, Israel, Yaacov Agam is an internationally-acclaimed, multimedia artist. Agam trained at the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem and later studied under the renowned Bauhaus color theoretician, Johannes Itten. A master in integrated design, color theory, and draftsmanship, Agam stands at the forefront of two significant movements in contemporary art history: Kinetic and Op Art. He is accompanied in renown and practice by Alexander Calder, Victor Vasarely, Bridget Riley, and Josef Albers.
Agam’s multi-faceted works hinge on movement, and dynamically change in relation to a viewer’s position. Agam calls each viewer to action, challenging the notion that art should only be enjoyed from limited perspectives. By relying on viewer perception to complete the composition, each work is never wholly complete or wholly visible. Characterized by sculpted lines, geometric patterns, and bevelled edges, Agam’s artistic aesthetic is entirely non-figurative. Agam creates non-representational artwork in order to align and adhere to the tenets of the “Kabbalah,” the ancient Hebrew study of mysticism. Agam grew up in an Orthodox household and was initially discouraged in his artistic pursuits by his father, a rabbi. Instead of wrestling with his Orthodox beliefs, which prohibit graven images, Agam opted to create non-representational compositions to inspire metaphysical reflection.
Renowned Commissions and Exhibitions
Agam has installed larger-than-life public sculptures in New York, Chicago, Paris, Strasbourg, Tel Aviv and many other locations around the world. In 2009, Agam created a monumental sculpture for the World Games in Koahsiung, Taiwan called “Peaceful Communication with the World.”Agam was honored with a significant career retrospective in 1980, “Beyond the Visible,” at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City. The artist has also been exhibited in the Museum of Modern Art , the Jewish Museum in New York City, and the Centre Pompidou in Paris. Agam works with a variety and combination of media including painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, serigraphy, lithography, etching, and even stained glass. Most recently, Agam has begun to further his interactive aesthetic by incorporating digital technology into his kinetic artwork.