Living among Lines - Ron Agam

Ron Agam, a New York City abstract artist of diverse, innovative works characterized by geometric shapes, pure color, and lucid design. , sees the city as an inspiration for his work. This short film on the artist is directed and filmed by Jordi Egea, a talented Barcelona filmmaker . Year 2014

In the beginning there was a circle ...

Drawing circles for me is not just an esthetic process. Unlike Jasper Johns  who drew circles and called them "Target", following American pop art iconography, one that was grounded in materialism or consumerism.  For me circles have a metaphysic expression, related to the desire to present an abstract reality, one that illustrates a symbol that is at the  origin of creation and reproduction.  In all our scientific inquiries, we find the circle at the center of every discovery. Our entire universe revolves  around geometric concepts where the circle is at the origin of everything  from the big bang theory to the molecular concept of the atom. As an artist profoundly interested in all aspects of mysticism, it is a world  that I am constantly fascinated by, what is the meaning of the circle ?   The notion of infinite , the idea of defying time, defying death by the  inclusion of colors in the process of painting circles enables my imagination to create these immeasurable worlds where energy, time and space commingle to create a holistic harmony that result in the interpretation of life itself. Acrylic on Wood 2011

France, Consul General Lalliot , Harlem Academy and Ron Agam

I am a very lucky artist, as you can see in these pictures, I was privileged to spend some quality time with a class of fourth grader of the Harlem Academy. As I promised the school a while ago, I came back to the children to offer them a gift of my artwork.

This gift was given to the school in honor of France and its amazing Consul General in the City, Philippe Lalliot. Philippe is very involved to help the school and its children, as he understood that diplomacy is not only nice speeches but also real effective work that impact lives especially young souls.

So for a little time Philippe and I shared our experiences in front of the children, Philippe talked about what it is to be a senior diplomat representing France in NY and I interacted with the children about creativity and imagination. My message was to empower these young souls on their faculty to imagine and change the world. I let these young children express their understanding of my art and then gave them my explanation about the process and its intuitive part.

There is nothing more rewarding than to challenge these young students to excel and influence them about their unlimited abilities to believe than they can aspire to anything in life when they trust their ability to imagine and be part of a creative process. 

In offering them "Galaxy Growth", they understood the complexity of the circles and their individual colors, the expansion and the collective meaning of diversity and differences all in a rainbow of colors that illustrate our unlimited potential as people and individual living in Harmony.

French Consul General Philippe Lalliot

French Consul General Philippe Lalliot

Artist Ron Agam

Ron Agam talking about his gift to the school

French Consul General Philippe Lalliot
RonAgam ,  School Director Vincent Dotoli

Artist Ron Agam presents Harlem Academy with a generous and beautiful gift - one of his pieces of artwork. 

Pictured are the Consul General of France in New York Mr. Philippe Lalliot, Mr. Ron Agam, Head of School Vinny Dotoli, and the grade-four class

Memories in the Atelier

The Work

Growing up as a child in Paris the 1960’s, I remember spending endless hours in my father’s atelier, later we learned that Paul Gauguin had worked in this place as well. I used to hang around him, playing with painting tube full of luscious and vibrating colors. Often I will take a brush and try to emulate my dad, but the results were often closer to a “gribouillage”¹ than anything that I will consider an “artwork” today. But the most impressive part were the glass palettes filled with literally hundreds of different colors. The sight of it was truly just unbelievable. The memories of this atelier follow me today almost 40 years after as some of the most wonderful images embedded in my little child head. So today, I just filmed a little clip of my humble studio were just a few colors were on my table while I was working on this new small painting. I did just thinking back about my childhood.

1.) scribble

Ron Agam in front of Kabbala in G

Ron Agam in front of Kabbala in G

Ron Agam in front of Kabbala in G

Ron Agam in front of Kabbala in G

Ron Agam in front of Kabbala in G

Ron Agam in front of Kabbala in G

                            Ron Agam in front of Kabbala in G

Being the grandson of an important Kabbalist, Rabbi Yehoshua Gibstein, I was always mystically attached to a concept, an idea, of something that I could never really explain. I grew up on stories about the ascetic and mystic life of my grand father. My Father's complexity and superlative intellect was for me, the heritage of his father, I could not reason otherwise. Today I can better comprehend this link and gift that was given to me and transmitted trough generations. The painting that you are seeing is named Kabbalah in Gold, in this work I translate the quintessence of red in two tones that are linked by a strip of gold, these two shades are encompassing the significance of the color red linked by gold which is this metal often related to something precious and sanctified throughout history. Red being the color of blood the essence of life , or wine . Wine being the liquid that you drink when you celebrated life. In Judaism there is nothing more holly than to celebrate life in happiness and joy. For me this painting is also the gift of life after coming from a near fatal condition a few months ago, this painting represents all that I aspire in terms of spirituality and life. It is a pure abstract expression of existence.

What does France, the Harlem Academy and Ron Agam have in common?

This afternoon I visited a chartered school called the Harlem Academy in Harlem on 115 Street and Fifth Avenue, there I met with Rebecca, a brilliant and talented school administrator. This school is an amazing institution that serves the local community and is rated as one of the best elementary and middle school in the country, thanks to an amazing educator Vinny Dotoli, the 
Head of School.
Rebecca was working with me these last couple of months to schedule what was supposed to be a talk with 4th graders. At two pm sharp, I entered the class were 16 children where waiting to meet me. Rebecca alerted me that the kids already saw some movies, read and learned a lot about my work and me. A chair was installed for me and the kids were assembled in a half a circle around waiting to ask me questions, impatiently. I immediately decided to sit on the floor at eye level with the kids, my message was clear: “hey kids! I am one of you.”

I asked each child to say his name before he asked me his question, so that I can get familiar with them and create a personal link with each one of this warm and wonderful kids. I introduce myself as Ron and we started a very animated dialog, on art, colors shapes and life. I talked about my life in Paris growing up and the importance of art in my early childhood. They were very curious and I could sense their interest about an adult who was talking to them as an equal.

This short visit that lasted about an hour was an enormous source of inspiration and joy to me. The kids were vibrant, intelligent, spontaneous, and curious. I felt as a part of their group and was genuinely interested to hear them express their vision and ideas on the art that I was showing them trough my Ipad. I prepared a selection of images for them to see so that we can have a dialog based on my creations and environment.

The hour passed like a “flash” and we agreed that they would all visit me in my studio. There, they will witness and live the experience of an artist studio, I called it my Disney World for adult. They all smiled. My real wish was to engage them and give them the confidence that each of them can create and dream a vision, uniquely personal. I shared with them a secret that “I was a child like them, but a grown up child.”  They loved it and start laughing.

I cannot wait to see them again soon in my place. This incredible experience would not have been possible if it was not initiated by the French Consulate in New York City and in particular the Consul himself Philippe Lalliot. Philippe has taken the task to support and help the school with an annual fundraiser at the Consulate. Some big French companies like Cartier and L’Oreal prodded by Philippe are joining the rooster of supporters. So thank you Mr. Consul General for having me now as part of your team, also. 

A Chineese inspiration

For some time , my fascination about China does not stop to grow,  even my art is becoming curiously influenced by the mystery of this culture, its colors and signs, its letter. The depth of this ancestral culture is such that it will take years to understand it, but dreaming about lets me free to imagine a world , I am so eager to discover. So today I created this new work that is in the spirit of my dreams.