Relief Rhythm
Agam studied art at the Bezalel School in Jerusalem, then continued his studies in Zurich with Johannes Itten. He is credited with introducing geometric abstraction to Israeli art. The son of a rabbi, Agam was raised in a deeply religious family and was heavily influenced by the spirituality of Judaism early in his life. His religious background has informed the conceptual development of his work as well as his choice of imagery. A pioneer of the kinetic art movement, Agam has sought to create a form of sculptural art that is not based on static images, but that expresses the continuously evolving nature of reality. Using abstract geometric forms, Relief Rhythm engages the viewer in a multitude of possible compositions, which transform as the viewer moves or changes positions. The work thus appears to be in constant motion, existing in time as a developing and changing entity.
Artwork Details
- Title: Relief Rhythm
- Artist: Yaacov Agam (Israeli (born Palestine), 1928)
- Date: 1966
- Medium: Painted wood
- Dimensions: 16 5/8 × 19 1/2 × 3 1/2 in., 5.4 lb. (42.2 × 49.5 × 8.9 cm, 2.4 kg)
- Classification: Sculpture
- Credit Line: Gift of William Benenson, 1991
- Object Number: 1991.402.3
- Rights and Reproduction: © 2025 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
- Curatorial Department: Modern and Contemporary Art
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