Saturday, February 2, 2019

YAMA




'YAMA'  stands for :Yaakov Agam Museum of Art.

I visited there two days ago,on Thursday, and  experienced a unique sort of viewing art.  It was trying to see "beyond the visible", to see "the hidden" and the 'constant change' in any of the exhibits which were 'art' movable and transformable. This was made possible by looking at the exhibit from each side, coming closer to it, or going a bit away from it. That was quite fascinating, and I was deeply impressed !!

Yaakov Agam,  90 year old, internationally  known as the father of kinetic art movement, painter and sculptor, was born and raised in  a  very religious family,the Gebstein family, located in the israeli town of Rishon Lezion.


 Agam's portrait , white beard and hat, welcomes the  visitors
.
His works are displayed in famous museums  such as Gugenheim in New -York,  Pompidou Center in Paris, and many other museums and art venues. His environmental works adorn public spaces in major metropolitan areas of the world.  In Israel, he's mostly known to the local public, through his iconic fountain in Dizengoff Square of Tel Aviv, "fire and water"(see my two posts on that : feb.4, 2011 and march 12, 2016), and the facade of Dan Hotel near the beach of Tel Aviv.


mini hotel Dan facade  (on the wall) and some of his tower works

The little museum in Rishon Lezion, dedicated to Agam's work, was opened in 2017- so it's actually a new place.



 name of museum in hebrew, english, arabic (tiny letters)

blue sign indicating the entrance to the museum

Both inside and outside the building there are  kinetic columns of great beauty and color ( tin +acrilic ) in memory of his late wife Clila, and named after her "the pillars of Clila" (20 pillars outside, near the entrance, and 9 pillars inside the building).

Me, and the pillars outside

women on the bench chatting and contemplating the pillars

The various exhibits (paintings, objects, sound works, interractive digital works), are displayed on the  two levels of the building: the ground level and the upper one (reached either on foot, or by a cute, little lift). The museum also has activity rooms/halls for both children and adults. 


curved ground floor and upper floor

visitors listening to museum's guide explanation

contemplating exhibits

visitor trying to capture an exhibit called 'waves'

corner  for sitting  and watching screen running constant kinetic motions

pillars inside the gallery

During the whole vist at the museum, I kept telling myself: 'the man is a genious'. Here are some of the exhibits on the wall:










38 comments:

  1. It looks like an interesting museum.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, it is interesting to all ages. Sometimes the museum hosts encounters with the artist himself who 'explains' his work and his artistic views.

      Delete
  2. I haven't heard of him before, but it seems like he is a very well known figure in your country. I probably wouldn't like his art as that mix of too many colours seems kitschy to me and I don't like his colour combinations, but I do like when artists find inspiration around them and dedicate their work to their closest ones. I'm glad you enjoyed the visit to the museum! Do you visit art galleries often?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It may seem kitschy, but it appeals to the child in us, and I find that great. The fact that one can look at an exhibit from several angles and each time discover something else, is fascinating.

      To your question, no I don't go often; I go whenever reccommended as funny and/ or thought provoking. Free admission will also do. This museum charges an entrance fee.

      Delete
  3. Replies
    1. I like them too, perhaps because in my real life I prefer solid, quiet, colors.
      The colors of the works at this museum are vivid, striking, lively.

      Delete
  4. It is a beautiful museum, thanks for sharing a gifted artist with us!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yaakov Agam is indeed a very gifted artist, worldly known for its indoors and outdors works of art.
      He well deserves the museum dedicated to his art.

      Delete
  5. As you said - Genius. I had not heard of him either. So thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, I consider him a genius because he creates things we could not have imagined possible. His works delight in a way that only the greatest of minds could have produced.

      Delete
  6. I am not at all familiar with this artist but wow! I am really impressed by the beautiful museum, its light and shapes. And his art is splendid. I really admire artists who have a terrific mastery of color and his work fits the bill. Even though I tend toward the traditional, I find myself drawn to his compelling shapes and composition.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He's not traditional; in fact he breaks traditional rules, and yet his art is is as you 've said "splendid".
      By the way, his works are very expensive for the private buyers. The clients are big museums, places like the White House in Washington, President's house in Israel, etc..

      Delete
  7. What a fabulous place! Thank you for sharing this artist and his art with us! Beautiful and inspiring.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You've used in your comment the very right words: fabulous place, beautiful and inspiring art. It sums it all up. Thanks.

      Delete
  8. As soon as I read that you were going to a Museum I was delighted. You find the most interesting places to visit and this is most certainly right up there. I too would be fascinated by these works.
    What a thrill to wander through all those exhibits and to see that all that beautiful colour.
    Thanks so much for your commentary and photographs. I've really enjoyed your post :D)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This museum is both delightful and interesting. The kinetic aspect of things is completely fascinating.
      Thanks for your kind words.

      Delete
  9. Museums are fun to go to. We have a few of them here in Las Vegas that I've been to.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No doubt about that. However, in a warm country like where I live, people prefer the outdoors, and museums are mainly indoor places.

      Delete
  10. Thank you for sharing - I hadn't heard of him either.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My pleasure.The artist is quite world famous, but it appears many have not heard of him probably because he concentrates on the kinetic aspect of art.

      Delete
  11. I really enjoyed the tour! The colours please me. We're into winter here, freezing rain on 30 cm of snowbase. It's a mess. The fire is on, though, and we're staying cozy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad you've enjoyed the tour and the colors. Most of all, I'm glad you're warm and cozy inside, considering the harsh weather in your region.

      Delete
  12. I haven't heard of him before, so thank you for widening my art knowledge.
    Your photographs showed the museum very well and I enjoyed my armchair tour very much, thank you.
    I thought the colours used were very pleasing and a good mix.

    Wishing you a good week ahead.

    All the best Jan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "..a good mix" of colors, indeed. Also a good variety of exhibits. The museum has great windows that bring in also views from outside, and that makes it all quite interesting.

      Delete
  13. I too was not familiar with this artist, Duta, and found this tour interesting. While exhibits of this type are not ones I would usually go to, this one would be of interest because of the bright colors and kinetics too.
    Thanks also for the birthday wishes which were much appreciated.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, not the usual exhibits one would expect at a museum, and yet, the colors and kinetics draw a lot of attention from the public.

      Delete
  14. What a beautiful museum and I love all the colours and shapes My daughter would love this artist She is an abstract painter who loves colours and shapes

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Your daughter has probably heard of this artist; his works are an endless game of colors and shapes, movement and interactivity.

      Delete
  15. I like it.
    Alice may not. She does not like science.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, each to his own, as they say. Alice may like the non-science, non-kinetic part of it.

      Delete
  16. It looks so exciting and colorful!! And so inspiring!! I love the photos of you in front of the pillars!! It makes my imagination leap beyond the visible and realize how much of a world of expression there is to be explored!! I like the look of the building too and the way the accents of color and design are used, seems fitting to the word that is shown with in!! Blessings and enjoy your travels through your days!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The place is indeed best described by all the words you've used: exciting, colorful, inspiring. The design of the building is just lovely! I took some more photos in and out, but didn't want to exhaust the readers with too much. Blessings to you too, Shayndele!

      Delete
  17. O, that looks very nice. Love the colors in it. Even in Dutch I can read about him, I saw him via Wikipedia ;-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well no surprise . Yaakov Agam is internationally well-known, so no wonder he appears in Wikipedia. His works are a great attraction, wherever displayed.

      Delete
  18. The only attractions I've been to in Rishon are the winery tour and the museum on the Kibbutz that was an ammunition factory during the War of Independence. I wondered how I missed such an interesting one -- obviously because it just opened and I was there some time ago. Fascinating.

    best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The museum is relativly new; it opened in july 2017. Maybe you were in Rishon prior to its opening. Anyway, the winery are also an interesting attraction.

      Delete
  19. Replies
    1. Thanks for your appreciation. Hope you've enjoyed reading it.

      Delete