Angelina Jolie and me only one degree of separation

Watching posters all over the city of Angelina Jolie promoting her new movie “Salt” with her living companion reminded me of a very special memory. It is a very rainy day in December 2001, a few months after the tragedy of September 11 2001. The city is bracing to celebrate a very sad holiday season, I am driving to the New York Hilton to be a special guest in a charity dedicated to the Children of Policeman and Firefighters that perished on that horrible day. For the one who don’t know, I was at ground zero that day documenting the horror from the southwest corner of the tower at ground zero and shot hundreds of pictures. One picture in particular caught the attention of a charity that asked me to blow this image, frame it and give it to the charity for a fundraiser. Incidentally, by a total coincidence the protagonists featured in this picture were alive and met me before the event and signed the image on the back together with me. So on this day, I think it was a Thursday evening; a full ballroom of supporters came to the NY Hilton to listen and contribute to this honorable charity. The event featured celebrities and familiar  New York faces. After the diner, an auction of mixed goods was offered to the public, when my photo came to be auctioned, I was asked to explain the details of the picture. Bidding started and went rapidly into the thousands, which was a blessing since all revenues went to this special children fund. After the auction was completed, a tall man, very elegant, came towards me, open his arms and embraced me very strongly. He had tears in his eyes and was obviously very emotional about what he had just purchased. I was very taken as well; the man gave me his phone number in Los-Angeles and asked me to call me, if I ever come there. He mentioned to me that this picture will be forever in his living room and that he will cherish it for eternity.

Needless to say that this was an emotional event that I will never forget. A few years later, Angelina Jolie started a very serious romance and relationship with the actor Brad Pitt. This romance was world famous and till today intrigues the entire world by its complexity and intensity. Myself, I could not stop to think about this man who had my 9-11 photograph in his home. The photograph that I took was of a firefighter that looked like a twin of Brad Pitt; he was my hero on 9-11. Many times over, people had asked me if it was Brad Pitt, and of course I said no, if you are curious about it you can read a more detailed story on my website since it is the opening picture of my website www.ronagam.com. The man who bought my picture was the actor Jon Voight, the father of Angelina. I look at this like a premonition, he saw Brad in his living room years before Angelina, and before his daughter chose him as her living companion.

 A few month ago , I asked my friend Liev Schreiber to tell Angelina the story since they were shooting “Salt “ in New York together. I don’t know if he ever did since I did not bother to ask him. But I would love Angelina to know this story about her father and maybe if I see them to offer Brad and Angelina the same picture which is now a part of American history since I gave all my collection to the Museum of Sept 11 at Ground zero which opens in sixteen months.

Facebook,Democracy in Iran and Me

About a year ago last June, I created a Facebook page in support of Democracy in Iran and I called it “100 Million Facebook Members for Democracy in Iran”.  When I did it, I never thought that this personal appeal of support would become the biggest and most popular electronic link to Iran's democracy.  Today I am glad to report that we have reached about 275,000 members plus. The page has been attacked numerous times and I have received a number of threats over the last year. 

On the positive sides, friends like Bernard Henri Levy in the first days of existence made personal appeal of support through my page. New York Times writer, Roger Cohen encouraged me to continue my work in support of  the cause. Many important and concerned citizens around the world addressed me their support.  Many times, major newspapers appealed to me for interviews about the page, but I always refused since I did not want to distort the essence of this endeavor by my personal story. On the negative side, CNN once reported from Facebook headquarters in Palo Alto about the Facebook involvement in Iran and failed purposely to mention my page while it had more members than all the rest combined. Of course, I realized that it would be causing grievance to some people in the media to report that a French-Israeli person has created the largest and most dynamic  page of support for Iran on the Internet,  just imagine the repercussion of such news.

What is really important here is a message of empowerment to all, when you believe in a cause and you have the persistence and courage to sustain the pressures, wonderful things can happen as well. I was never under the impression that this appeal will be reaching the incredible presence it has, so today, I am really proud of this effort and to the contribution it has made to a very important human right issue for which I will not cease to work for . Over the last year , I met some amazing people who become my friends.

Just one more story, through my contacts in Iran , one day I received a call from an Israeli television network that asked me to connect them to some Iranian democracy advocate in Iran, this  led to a direct  Skype interview  between Iran and Israel, for this kind of action of friendship and support , I am very proud.

I hope that one day soon Iran will be able to join the community of Nations with peacefull and friendly overtures. A great nation with great people has a predominent place in a world that strive for Peace and Fraternity.

“100 Million Facebook Members for Democracy in Iran”.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=105160039272&ref=mf

A New York moment, you cannot forget !

A few years back maybe three, someone knocks at my door unannounced, then my doorbell rings, I was occupied on a telephone conversation so I went to open the door while continuing talking on my phone.  Since I live in a doorman building in a high-rise co-op in Manhattan, most visitors must be announced by a special intercom, evidently this person was not. So I was very surprised that knocking at my door was one of the world’s most famous comedian and producer, a man, I had revered for so many years. While I opened the door, the man realized that he had inadvertently erred on another floor and that my apartment was not his final destination. He had mistakenly pushed the wrong elevator button.  To my astonishment, he looked at my door and asked me if I was Jewish, I told him, I was, as if the mezuzah on my door was not enough to confirm his query.  He looked at me, and said,  what a beautiful mezuzah , you have.  Now, I have to help you a little, this man, was at the time the biggest success on Broadway, and having him on my doorstep commenting on my Mezuzah was a surrealistic experience to me. He continued in the conversation by asking me where  can he buy such a mezuzah, I said to myself, what do I do, should I just unscrew mine from the door and give it to him in admiration?  For a few minutes more, I had this incredible New York moment with the man I admired most, telling him that I met him on his studio lot years ago at the cantina, and that for me it was a Hollywood highlight, I never forgot. ( I was seventeen and it was truly a fun memory).

Realizing the frustration of my “new friend” , I told him that this mezuzah was created by a very famous artist. He said really? (as if any one more famous than me?) . He asked who was it, I told him Yaacov Agam, and then he said Oh! Then it must be very expensive!  We agreed that I would send him one and that was the end of it.

So today I just realized that Mel Brooks must be still waiting for his mezuzah because I forgot to send it to him,  absent minded that I am.  And today was his birthday as I was informed by CNN and in a flashback; I remembered my moment with him on my doorstep.

Agam Mezuzah

Does 488 days , means something to you ?

September 11 2011 will be on a Sunday. For reasons that we all understand, I am obsessed with this day, it will be the ten anniversary of the attack on New -York by Al-Qaeda. Every ten years, the terrorist organization has successfully striked on New York at the same place. Every attack has been exponential in its effectiveness. It also been ten years that the world most powerful army has been engulfed in a tragic war against terror that to this day brought very little result.

For ten years, the US has been searching feverishly for the main culprits namely Osama Ben Laden and his lieutenants. It is absolutely incredible that till this day , Al-Qaeda heads were not brought to justice or killed. One trillion dollars and thousands of American soldiers dead and injured,  and still very little to show.

Taken all these facts in consideration and being a New Yorker, I am counting 488 days to Sunday 11 of September 2011, hoping that we will not be the target again of a devastating attack that will brutalize my city again. I am imagining  with anguish the wildest scenarios possible and to my stupor, I am stoically facing the future with the same confidence of the morning of Sept 12 2001. Tough I don't even know why?

In retrospect, the past ten years, have witnessed an amplification of dangers rarely seen in modern times. Today we are facing the hostility of North Korea, and Iran that are wooing to obtain ballistic means to deliver their soon to be nuclear warheads. As well as a multitude of small time terrorists capable of inflicting lethal and massive devastation to cities like NYC or Los Angeles.

Our presence in Afghanistan and Irak, will certainly not prevent Al-Qaeda to strike us anywhere they wish to strike, that has been proven right in London, Madrid, India just to name a few.  Even with a huge Homeland security organization , the stealth terror organizations of the world are striking with impunity wherever ,  they choose.

So yes 488 days till the ten anniversary of Sept 11 2011, is to be taken very seriously both by our Government and both by our security services. Hopefully, Congress can start to anticipate the unthinkable before it happens this time and convey all our experts on terror to placate what could be an unthinkable action against NYC or any other big American city. America must be prepared this time knowing what our enemies intentions have been in the past. And God knows , they have been lethal.

The Empress and I.

We can all remember special moments that have marked our lives in some mercurial manner. In July 1977, my father and I visited Iran as guestof her Majesty, the Empress of Iran, the lovely Farah Dibba. During this month we had the privilege of visiting this beautiful country in a very thorough and detailed fashion. Her majesty was an incredible host, and her office made sure that we would see and visit all the importanthistorical sites. Needless to say that as an adolescent, it was just an amazing experience.

Her majesty was a major collector of my father art and a profound admirer. She was an ardent protector of the arts in general and also fought hardily to modernize Iran. The rest, unfortunately, we are all familiar with. A “stupid” American President abandoned the Shah and today we are all paying for this terrible mistake, of epic proportion.

Living in Manhattan provides many interesting opportunities; today wasreally one of them. I was meeting a friend of mine for coffee and walking the fame establishment, I recognized, her majesty sitting with a group of friend for coffee. I fixed her in the eyes and proceeded to talk with her. At first, she was surprised but quickly I saw a smile inher face when I mentioned that Agam was my father, and that she had invited me. She remembered all the details of our visit and was

extremely courteous and warm. One particular detail attracted her attention, I was a student in the same school, she attended before theShah married her, it was an architectural school in Paris , ESA, that was our common special connection. She inquired about me and what I had

become, I told her that my time is devoted to my art and that she is welcomed to visit me and see some of my creations. Hopefully, she will come and visit. I will not repeat the full content of our conversation .I must say that after so many years of not seeing her, I was very touched and in bliss , I had relived a very very special moment in fast motion thirty and some odd years ago, this afternoon. A few minutes after, another good friend, Nicolas Berggruen from school years appeared with his girlfriend, that I have not seen in a long time. I was very pleased to see him and invited him to visit my studio on his next trip to New York. Decidedly, it was an afternoon of good memories and good history, is it not what life is about: “collecting wonderful

friends and wonderful memories.”

A moment of truthfulness and love

On the eve of my birthday, I feel more mortal than ever, gone are these feeling of invincibility that are often part of this exuberance that accompany the earlier stage of life. I don't even know why I am writing these words, if it is not to highlight my personal angst about life and my own future.
I am just wondering if I am aging or if I am becoming more sensible to my own death or maybe both? 52 is very young to even think about these things. But I cannot help it , is it the desire to leave a trace on this earth that pushes me to express these heightened feeling. Is it my ancestral calling , my cabbalist grand-father that touches me from upstairs. Is it my dear mother who passed away 30 years ago that sends me a message.

Ron , "you must live life and celebrate it , everyday." Is that what she is telling me?

Around me, my friend's parents are getting older and some disappear, my own father is aging and trough these impressions, the fragility of life is forever more present.

These feelings with time are being more oppressive than ever. Why am I, so preoccupied with them?

This winter 2010 is alarmingly cruel, from the terrible and horrific Haitian tragedy, the continuous wars in Afghanistan and Irak. The dramatic economic news that keep piling here, joblessness, deficit, ineffectual congress, China, Iran.

In retrospect, the harshness of life needs a spiritual and emotional compensation, solitude and angst are not a good choice to live your life. I am not a depressive person but sometime, I really fall into a feeling of self-pity, and that is horrible. Maybe I am not alone there !

So my friends on the eve of both my birthday and the holiday of Love, just a reminder, we must celebrate life by loving our parents, family and friends. We must not be shy about expressing our feelings. Sharing love, telling our loved one. how much we love them and how important they are to us.

We may be only passing by on this earth but to the people who are close to us, we are their vessel of Love, they need us to be real and loving.

Love is the elixir of life, it's the perfume that render souls more beautiful, spray it generously.

Haiti - my personal story

Tuesday night  a week ago, announced an incredible human catastrophe of unparallel human consequence. For a few hours, I was totally shocked, watching the reports from Haiti. Four hours into the tragedy, I decided intuitively that I will be doing something personal to help and contribute.  Something I was familiar with , create a group of support for Haiti in Facebook. I named it "Help Haiti 2010." 

Why Haiti, well as a child, me and my siblings were very lucky to have received the care and love from some wonderful Haitian women who helped my parents raise us. I grew up with Haitian stories, primitive paintings and beautiful stories of this exotic place. For me Haiti was the land of fantasy and beauty, with people that inspired my dreams at night and as an adult these memories are still sticking  in my mind like it was yesterday.

So coming back to my facebook group, I saw, how instantly people were signing up to become members. A few hours later I called my friend France Consul General Philippe Lalliot and we spoke about what we can do in NYC, maybe a collection of clothes or something else significant. Talking to him , he mentioned that  his deputy Consul was an expert on Haiti and that he had managed the "crisis operation" at the Quai d’Orsay for Haiti in a previous tragedy. I immediately realized that this important piece of information will not stale in my mind. Within minutes I was on the phone with Patrick Lachausee, France Deputy consul General in NYC, and told him that I was setting up a Facebook page for Haiti and I really wanted him to be part of my group and become and administrator. Well that was a very smart move that gave Patrick  the ability to express his great communication skills and organization ability a few days later. Trough the next few days, we saw the interest in our group grow significantly , other friends joined and help us increase  our visibility. I was speaking to my friend Antoine Blech , a talented French singer in NYC who also operates a successful cabaret restaurant named Opia and told him why don’t you call my friend Vanessa Jacquemin , another talented American Haitian singer who usually sings with her husband , a reincarnation of  Django Reinhardt . Well that was the beginning of our fundraiser, the one I am writing about in the following paragraphs.

Thank you all, we can all be proud to have participated in this beautiful night of friendship and solidarity with Haiti whose revenues went to international children's organization “Save the Children”. I want to particularly highlight the effort and vision of our friend Patrick that more than anyone helped us take an idea and bring it to reality through him we can also thank the French Consulate who gave us their moral support for this endeavor..
Richard Ortoli, President of  Comité des  Associations Françaises also present Monday night,  reaffirmed his support and friendship to the people of Haiti. Antoine Blech was incredible, not only did he sing magnificently but he also made Opia so hospitable and generous, everything went so smoothly and gracefully. We had the incredible french rapper Kemedji Kémi alias "Alkimixx" who made a surprise guest appearance that was truly extra-ordinary and riveting.

Again, all the participants were fantastic, all gave the max of themselves to help.

The Francophile and French together with the Haitian community last night responded vigorously and enthusiastically  to the fundraiser, about 300 people maybe. For an event that was put together in 3 days it is a huge success.

The fundraiser for Haiti last night was one of the best evening I had in NewYork. It was so emotional and fun and we raised a nice amount of money.

People did not want to leave and it lasted for 6 hours. The artists,Vanessa and Alex Jacquemin, Antoine Blech,  Francis Jocky, Super star piano player Patrick Lachausse were incredibly talented. Francis kept the room electrified in ways, I rarely seen before, people were extatic listening to him.Olga Statz, speech brought people to tears of hope.

I could not be happier about its impact on everyone. It was a night that people will remember a long time.

Hopefully that will help us to do another great event a little later this year.

Special thank, to JC Agid, Pierre Battu, Agnes and Bruno Thiery, Pierre Georges Bonnefil, Richard Ortoli, Cecilia Rodhe, Sara Conca, Katrin Yaghoubi Sosnick, Stephane Gerbier,Tobi Rubinstein Schneier

 Ron Agam, Patrick Lachausse

Richard Ortoli, Ron Agam, Patrick Lachausse

Renaud Dutreil, Catherine Dutreil, Ron Agam, Cecilia Rodhe, Antoine Blech

 Ron Agam, Helene Brenkman

Cecilia Rodhe, Francis Jocky, Ron Agam, Yelenah Noah