Agam + Agam. Images of Changing Illusions Exhibition of Op artists Yaacov Agam and Ron Agam

Yaacov Agam (b. 1928), the Israeli-French artist, played a key role in the development of kinetic and optical art. This exhibition marks the first time that a significant selection of his works can be seen in Hungary, having arrived in Budapest from two private collections in Slovakia.

Yaacov Agam, who exhibited alongside Victor Vasarely in several historically significant exhibitions (such as Le Mouvement in 1955 at Galerie Denise René in Paris, and The Responsive Eye in 1965 at MoMA, New York), composes his work through the interplay of geometric forms and shifting colour relationships. His art not only provides an aesthetic experience but also raises philosophical and scientific questions, particularly regarding perception and movement.

Now celebrating his 97th birthday, Agam’s most distinctive innovation lies in how his three-dimensional surfaces transform as the viewer moves, revealing as many as three or four entirely different compositions. This experience is particularly intense when viewing the so-called “Agamographs” and polymorphic works with multi-faceted surfaces, a considerable number of which are on display at the exhibition. With each step, the viewer’s perspective changes – new forms emerge, while previous ones vanish. This dynamic interaction invites reflection on the nature of perception: what exists is not necessarily perceptible, and the number of invisible images may be infinite. Thus, there is a metaphysical layer in Agam’s work that closely aligns with Jewish intellectual tradition.

“My intention was to create a work of art which would transcend the visible, which cannot be perceived except in stages, with the understanding that it is a partial revelation and not the perpetuation of the existing. My aim is to show what can be seen within the limits of possibility which exists in the midst of coming into being,” he writes about his work.

Like Vasarely, Yaacov Agam also gained international acclaim for his architectural integrations and public artworks. Among these are large-scale, vibrantly coloured installations in public spaces, such as the Fire and Water Fountain in Tel Aviv; the 30-square-metre Salon d’Agam installed as part of the permanent collection at the Centre Pompidou; and the monumental mosaic near the Grande Arche in the La Défense district of Paris, and Villa Regina in Miami. A special feature of this first Hungarian presentation of the renowned kinetic artist is that it also includes works by his New York-based son, Ron Agam (b. 1958). His signature holographic multiples, created using lenticular printing techniques, incorporate effects made possible by digital tools, opening a new dimension in the exploration of movement and perception.Y