Ron Agam

As in life, photography may, on occasion, get a boost from luck. But to rely on those rare moments being handed to you is to count on empty hands and disappointment. At the age of six, the Paris-born son of world renowned artist Yaacov Agam added a camera to his travel gear as he began shooting that which inspired him most: his father's art. From that moment, Agam gave himself a personal challenge: to always be there. By spending his childhood traveling between Paris and Rehovot, Israel, Agam was driven to push his journey even further as he illustrated life - and the lives he encountered - through his photographs. Agam's strong ties to Israel - both personally as well as through his ancestry - yielded his first public exhibition on May 17, 1994 at the Magidson fine art gallery in Manhattan. The exhibit, showcasing photos taken at the western wall and the ultra-orthodox conclave of the Mea Shearim, were each an isolated moment, letting the photograph work as both the narrative as well as the subject. Today, Agam stays true to his pursuit - the art of being there - so that others may see what he sees, meet who he meets, and enrich their lives just as he strives to do each and every day. Simply by being there.

Articles by Ron Agam:

French Civil Society Takes Aim at “Racist Party” Le Front National

February 23, 2012 3:20 pm

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Blogs Sports
Manchester City’s Title Win Provides Wisdom to Us All

I’m not prone to tears. I didn’t even cry when my children were born. That’s why my wife may not like what I’m about to tell you. For the first time in my life, I’ve been crying lately. A lot. They’re tears of joy, though, all because my beloved Manchester City football club are finally champions. City’s epic comeback, scoring 2 goals in stoppage time, propelled them past Manchester United for the Premier League crown in England. All my life, [...]
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Europe Sports
Bayern Munich, aka “FC Hollywood” Embraces its Jewish Roots

As Bayern Munich gets ready for their match against Chelsea in the Champions League final this Saturday, the German club known for its high level of play and confidence on the pitch, is embracing its Jewish history, which was shrouded in secrecy following Hitler’s rise to power in 1933. Before Nazi Germany’s rise, Bayern Munich was led by a Jewish president and coach, while 2 of the 27 signatories of the team’s founding charter in 1900 were Jewish as well. [...]
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Europe Sports
Euro Championship to Feature Arab-Israeli Swimmer

An Arab-Israeli swimmer will represent Israel in the European Swimming Championships, which take place May 22-27, reported Israel Hayom. Jowan Qupty, 22, lives in Jerusalem. Qupty was originally not included as part of the national team, but appealed the decision and was eventually granted a slot. If he performs well at the competition, he could go on to compete in the London Olympic Games this summer.
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Arts and Culture Jewish History
“Follow Me” Film Brings Entebbe Hero to Life

Yoni Netanyahu helped saved 102 Israeli hostages on a dark July 4 at Entebbe. Though mortally wounded, his spirit and leadership imbued his troops as they stormed the “Old Terminal” at Entebbe Airport in Uganda. Netanyahu was admired but not popular, a conflicted man struggling to bring order to the complicated pieces of his life’s puzzle—a life he gave for his country. Filmmakers Jonathan Gruber and Ari Daniel Pinchot explore the complex personality of this fallen IDF commander in their new [...]
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Arts and Culture Jewish Identity
New Brooklyn Gallery Features $175,000 Hassidic Art

A new fine art gallery in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn will display work by Hassidic artists. Although the Betzalel Gallery will focus on Judaic artists, Hassidic Curator Shmuel Pultman is also an expert when it comes to notable classic artists such as Rembrandt, Goya, Velazquez and Sargent. “Twenty years ago, the most a Judaic artist was able to command for a painting was $20,000-$30,000,” he said. “The Betzalel Gallery’s top painting has an asking price of $175,000, although [...]
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Arts and Culture World
Polanski to Bring “Dreyfus Affair” to the Big Screen

The iconic and controversial French-Polish director Roman Polanski is about to bring The Dreyfus Affair, one of the most famous cases of anti-Semitism in modern times, to the big screen. Polanski says this is a project he’s wanted to do for quite a while, and he intends to show “its absolute relevance to what is happening in today’s world – the age-old spectacle of the witch-hunt of a minority group, security paranoia, secret military tribunals, out-of-control intelligence agencies, governmental cover-ups [...]
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Music US & Canada
Drake and Jones, Hollywood’s New Jewish Power Couple?

Drake, who made no secret of his love for Judaism in a recent hip-hop video, is rumored to be in a relationship with another famous Jewish entertainer, Rashida Jones. “She wants them to go public, but he’s reluctant,” a source told In Touch. Representatives for both Drake and Jones – who starred in The Social Network and The Office, and is currently starring in Parks and Recreation on NBC – claim the two are just friends, but according to In [...]
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Arts and Culture Blogs
Noah Meets Katrina in “Watershed”

How difficult is it to imagine a truly devastating catastrophe? Will calamity come from an instantaneous, even violent change in the landscape, or a slow transformation that could have been prevented? Will we suddenly realize the terrifying future when the prevention is attainable or when it is too late? Artist Anita Glesta considers these issues in her use of installations and large scale works to bring awareness of global and social issues by drawing parallels between historical events and specific trends today. One [...]
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