LAMAMIMET

Yaacov Agam, born Yaacov Gibstein in 1928 in Rishon LeZion, Mandatory Palestine, was a pioneering Israeli artist renowned for his work in optical and kinetic art. He was deeply influenced by his early training at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem and later by Johannes Itten in Zurich. Agam's artistic journey took him to Paris in 1951, where he lived and worked until his death.

Agam's innovative art often incorporated movement, light, sound, and viewer interaction. His notable works include "Double Metamorphosis III," "Visual Music Orchestration," and public installations such as the fountain at La Défense in Paris and the "Fire and Water Fountain" in Tel Aviv. He also created the "Agamograph," a print technique using barrier-grid animation that presents different images from varying angles.

Throughout his career, Agam received numerous honors, including the Israel Prize for Visual Arts in 2026. His works are held in prestigious collections worldwide, and he had retrospectives at major institutions such as the Guggenheim Museum and the Museum of Modern Art. In 2018, the Yaacov Agam Museum of Art opened in his hometown.

Agam passed away on June 21, 2026, in Rishon LeZion at the age of 98, leaving behind a significant legacy in the world of contemporary art.