On Tuesday, June 2nd, we went to the Agam Museum.
This museum exhibits the work of an artist named Yaacov Agam who is a religious Israeli Jew. He focuses on abstract pieces, and kinetic art. He is still alive, and he occasionally makes guest appearances at his museum. But, whether this is a good thing or a bad thing, he didn’t make an appearance while we were there. I have heard from multiple people that he isn’t exactly Mr. Nice, so I don’t think we missed anything too special. Then again, just because something is one person’s truth, does not mean it is another’s. Anyways, moving on…
I liked most of the art we saw in the museum, and it was all very bright and colorful. I am not saying that everyone who goes to this museum will like it, but a quick visit won’t hurt.
When we arrived at the museum, we had thought we were slightly early for a tour in hebrew, but it turns out, the tour had started early and was now almost over. We joined it for a few minutes and then the guide brought us to a room where we watched a short clip about the artist and the beginning of the museum. Inside this room there were about 75 ‘agam style’ cubes on wheels that we moved around to make a cool design.
After that, we looked around the museum for a little bit, and when we were getting ready to leave, a tour in english was starting. So, we joined that tour, learned a little about the artist and the art itself, then we took a few last photos, and left.
Some of the things we learned about the artist is that the reason his art does not include representations of people or animals is because in Judaism, like other religions, you are not supposed to have graven images. Also, he liked to create a sense of movement in all of his works, which you can tell by the fact that his work is almost entirely kinetic art.
Many of the pieces in the museum were all done in the style where a paper is folded many times to make an accordion like shape, and then depending on where you are standing, you see a different picture. I know that is not exactly a expert explanation, but I am unsure how to explain it better. You will just have to see form the photographs attached at the end. I really like his style, and I love how you see something different every time you stand in a new position.
-Naomi
P.S. For those of you who don’t know what kinetic art is, I suggest that you look it up instead of reading an explanation I give on a concept I don’t fully understand.
Birds eye view of the design we made out of the cubes on wheels
This and the next two photos are an example of the kind of painting I was trying to explain
This is two half circles attached to a mirror so that it looks like two complete circles
This and the next four photos are another example of the kind of painting I was trying to explain
One of the more 3d designs by Agam. The sphere moves, and with it so does the top piece. Depending on the angle from which you are looking at it, the top piece either looks like a square, a triangle, or two triangles on top of each other
Columns painted by Agam outside of the museum
Columns painted by Agam outside of the museum This photo is taken from a different angle so you can see other sides of the columns. Each side is designed differently
A diagram of a hotel that Agam was commissioned to design the outside of the building