Kinetic art movement pioneer Yaacov Agam entrusts the completion of his work’s composition to the spectator
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Yaacov Agam is an Israeli sculptor and experimental artist best known for his contributions to optical and kinetic art. Agam has become one of the most influential modern artists since his first solo exhibition in 1953, where he encouraged viewers to participate in art during a time when this was rarely expected.
Agam’s upbringing played a major role in shaping his artistic style, such as following the religious commandment of not making graven images. His nonrepresentational style is an integration of formalist art with that of the Kabbalah (the study of Hebrew mysticism). As such, Agam’s artistic aesthetic is non-figurative, relying instead on geometric shapes, sculpted lines, and bright colours. To achieve his purpose, in 1971 he created the groundbreaking medium now called ‘Agamograph’, which uses a lenticular lens to cause his imagery to change when viewed from different angles.
When physically in front of one of Yaacov Agam’s works, the spectator is encouraged to play a dynamic observation of it, since his images change at various angles. By delegating the role of finishing the work’s composition to the viewer’s perception, each work is never truly complete or wholly visible. In this way, Agam deepens the meaning behind his medium: through the acknowledgement of the weight that different points of view have on our perception of what something is or looks like, he invites us to reflect on both the artistic creation as a whole and the spiritual values of society.
Since the 1950s, Agam has experimented with new and diverse media, incorporating practices such as painting, sculpture, spatial installation, theatre, architecture, writing, digital technology, and education. Regardless of the medium, however, Agam has remained loyal to the principles and spirit of his early works.
Leviton Fine Art focuses primarily on artwork that was created by recognized 20th Century Masters.
Cover image: Yaacov Agam, Checker, 1980. Courtesy of Leviton Fine Art
Written by: Zara Colombo
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