Achiam
Encyclopedia
Achiam was a Franco-Israeli sculptor who worked around Paris after 1947. His work consists largely of direct carvings in stone and wood—very plain, pure forms, mostly figurative
.
), in the Galilee
and had a peasant’s childhood. His early education was in agronomy
. Arrested by the British because off his political activities, he discovered his talent as a sculptor while carving bas-reliefs on the walls of his jail cell. He learned sculpture techniques by working as a stone cutter in the quarries of Jerusalem.
In 1947 he was invited to Prague where he won the Grand Prix in the competition for the rebuilding of the martyred town of Lidice
in the Czech Republic. He then went to Paris
as did many artists at this time.
In Paris, he worked with scrap stones, in a style of naïve art that was quickly recognized by Jean Dubuffet
. He was also noticed by Michel Tapié
, head of the René Drouin Gallery where his work was exhibited in 1948.
Experimenting with other styles, he spent time in Montparnasse and particularly at La Coupole. There he met other renowned artists of the time including Salvador Dali
, Zadkine
(with whom he had many disputes) Pablo Picasso
and Brancusi
whose simplified forms he admired.
He regularly took part in many exhibitions (such as La Jeune Sculpture, Comparaisons and Le Salon d’Automne), winning recognitions such as the Grand Prix des Beaux-Arts de Paris in 1965.
Achiam did not consider himself part of any artistic school and he did not wish to teach.
At first little known in Israel, his work was discovered during major exhibitions organized by the Open Museum of Tefen (Galilee). In 2003 an Achiam Museum, displaying over a hundred of his works was created in the thermal baths
of the Roman amphitheatre of Shuni in Binyamina in Israel
(Jabotinsky Park).
It is possible to see Achiam's monumental works in Sèvres
, where he lived, in the five municipalities of the conurbation of Arc de Seine (92), in the schools of Saint-Mamet (Cantal) and Saint-Martin d'Hères, in kibbutz
Yifat
(Israel
) and in the Lavon
Sculpture Garden (Israel), at Sankt Margarethen im Burgenland
(Austria
) as well as in Portorož
(Slovenia
).
The art of Achiam is therefore centered on Man, Woman, their feelings, love, childbirth and nurture. He often expressed his opposition to wars, suffering and the injustice which oppresses humanity.
Another major source of his inspiration comes from the Bible
, from its heroes, prophets and kings, whose essential characteristics he represents while rejecting anecdote in order to express their universal meaning.
Music allowed him to express a search for fusion between man and the musical instrument. His works often represent a variety of feelings in the same character, in the same composition. He also depicts familiar animals such as dogs and cats.
After a long period of studying the stone to find a subject that “fits” the stone, Achiam created his works by cutting direct without using a model or making a sketch or prototype. He chose hard stone for his monumental works (granite
, basalt
, sandstone
) and more sensual stone for his interior pieces (alabaster
, serpentinite
).
of Shuni (Jabotinsky Park) in Binyamina near Caesarea.
Many of his works are in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art
and the National Museum of Modern Art
in Paris.
The Open Museum of Tefen and the Lavon Sculpture Garden (Galilee
, Israel
) permanently exhibit about ten of his works; nearby are works of other XXe century Israeli artists, such as Itzhak Danziger and Shlomo Selinger
.
After his death, the suburban region of Arc-de-Seine acquired about twenty of his works so as to place them in the five constituent towns. In the town of Ville-d'Avray
, five of them, principally statues evoking music, have been installed in the castle park, near the Academy of Music. Not far away, the town of Sèvres
exhibits five works, among them Rooster, Guitar Player, and Maternity.
Other institutions, like Gratz College
in Philadelphia (USA), the Esterhazy Museum in Eisenstadt
(Austria
), and the Caisse des dépôts et consignations
also possess some works of Achiam.
Many works are exhibited in its sculpture garden in Sèvres. They can be seen at open houses that are regularly organized by the municipality.
Figurative art
Figurative art, sometimes written as figurativism, describes artwork—particularly paintings and sculptures—which are clearly derived from real object sources, and are therefore by definition representational.-Definition:...
.
Biography
Achiam was born in Beit-Gan (today part of Yavne'elYavne'el
Yavne'el is a moshava and a local council in the North District of Israel. It is named after a village in the tribe Naphtali , which was probably located on the tel north of the moshava. Located south-west of Tiberias, it was declared a local council in 1951...
), in the Galilee
Galilee
Galilee , is a large region in northern Israel which overlaps with much of the administrative North District of the country. Traditionally divided into Upper Galilee , Lower Galilee , and Western Galilee , extending from Dan to the north, at the base of Mount Hermon, along Mount Lebanon to the...
and had a peasant’s childhood. His early education was in agronomy
Agronomy
Agronomy is the science and technology of producing and using plants for food, fuel, feed, fiber, and reclamation. Agronomy encompasses work in the areas of plant genetics, plant physiology, meteorology, and soil science. Agronomy is the application of a combination of sciences like biology,...
. Arrested by the British because off his political activities, he discovered his talent as a sculptor while carving bas-reliefs on the walls of his jail cell. He learned sculpture techniques by working as a stone cutter in the quarries of Jerusalem.
In 1947 he was invited to Prague where he won the Grand Prix in the competition for the rebuilding of the martyred town of Lidice
Lidice
Lidice is a village in the Czech Republic just northwest of Prague. It is built on the site of a previous village of the same name which, as part of the Nazi Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, was on orders from Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler, completely destroyed by German forces in reprisal...
in the Czech Republic. He then went to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
as did many artists at this time.
In Paris, he worked with scrap stones, in a style of naïve art that was quickly recognized by Jean Dubuffet
Jean Dubuffet
Jean Philippe Arthur Dubuffet was a French painter and sculptor. His idealistic approach to aesthetics embraced so called "low art" and eschewed traditional standards of beauty in favor of what he believed to be a more authentic and humanistic approach to image-making.-Life and work:Dubuffet was...
. He was also noticed by Michel Tapié
Michel Tapié
Michel Tapié was an internationally active French critic, curator, and collector of art. He was an early and influential theorist and practitioner of "tachisme", which is generally regarded as the European equivalent of abstract expressionism...
, head of the René Drouin Gallery where his work was exhibited in 1948.
Experimenting with other styles, he spent time in Montparnasse and particularly at La Coupole. There he met other renowned artists of the time including Salvador Dali
Salvador Dalí
Salvador Domènec Felip Jacint Dalí i Domènech, Marquis de Púbol , commonly known as Salvador Dalí , was a prominent Spanish Catalan surrealist painter born in Figueres,Spain....
, Zadkine
Ossip Zadkine
Ossip Zadkine was a Belarusian-born artist who lived in France. He is primarily known as a sculptor, but also produced paintings and lithographs.-Early years and career:...
(with whom he had many disputes) Pablo Picasso
Pablo Picasso
Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso known as Pablo Ruiz Picasso was a Spanish expatriate painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, and stage designer, one of the greatest and most influential artists of the...
and Brancusi
Constantin Brancusi
Constantin Brâncuşi was a Romanian-born sculptor who made his career in France. As a child he displayed an aptitude for carving wooden farm tools. Formal studies took him first to Bucharest, then to Munich, then to the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris...
whose simplified forms he admired.
He regularly took part in many exhibitions (such as La Jeune Sculpture, Comparaisons and Le Salon d’Automne), winning recognitions such as the Grand Prix des Beaux-Arts de Paris in 1965.
Achiam did not consider himself part of any artistic school and he did not wish to teach.
At first little known in Israel, his work was discovered during major exhibitions organized by the Open Museum of Tefen (Galilee). In 2003 an Achiam Museum, displaying over a hundred of his works was created in the thermal baths
Thermae
In ancient Rome, thermae and balnea were facilities for bathing...
of the Roman amphitheatre of Shuni in Binyamina in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
(Jabotinsky Park).
It is possible to see Achiam's monumental works in Sèvres
Sèvres
Sèvres is a commune in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris.The town is known for its porcelain manufacture, the Manufacture nationale de Sèvres, making the famous Sèvres porcelain, as well as being the location of the International Bureau of Weights...
, where he lived, in the five municipalities of the conurbation of Arc de Seine (92), in the schools of Saint-Mamet (Cantal) and Saint-Martin d'Hères, in kibbutz
Kibbutz
A kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
Yifat
Yifat
Yifat is a kibbutz in Galilee, northern Israel. Located adjacent to the town Migdal HaEmek and short distances from the cities of Afula and Nazareth. It falls under the jurisdiction of Jezreel Valley Regional Council...
(Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
) and in the Lavon
Lavon, Israel
Lavon is a communal settlement in northern Israel. Located in the Galilee four kilometres north of Karmiel, it falls under the jurisdiction of Misgav Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 268....
Sculpture Garden (Israel), at Sankt Margarethen im Burgenland
Sankt Margarethen im Burgenland
St Margarethen is a town in Burgenland near the state capital Eisenstadt. It is home to a large 1st century Roman quarry. A passion play has been presented in St Margarethen each summer for over seventy years. The town is close to the border with Hungary. The Pan-European Picnic peace...
(Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
) as well as in Portorož
Portorož
- External links :**...
(Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
).
Presentation of the work
Achiam explained:
If realist sculpture does not satisfy me, abstract sculpture—looking for purely aesthetic forms—doesn’t satisfy me either. I consider that abstract forms which are beautiful by themselves and can be perfect relative to their three dimensions can gain an additional dimension, a ‘fourth’ one, when they express human meaning. For me this is essential because if I also look for beautiful forms I want them to express love, joy, sadness, etc. I am sure that there is much to achieve in this domain.
If, like BrancusiConstantin BrancusiConstantin Brâncuşi was a Romanian-born sculptor who made his career in France. As a child he displayed an aptitude for carving wooden farm tools. Formal studies took him first to Bucharest, then to Munich, then to the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris...
, I use forms that are themselves abstract, I try to build a composition that is close to man and his feelings. It is easy to see, for instance, that one of my sculptures, the Horn Player, originating with abstract forms, is, in fact, a figurative sculpture suggesting the shepherd I once was in Galilee.
The art of Achiam is therefore centered on Man, Woman, their feelings, love, childbirth and nurture. He often expressed his opposition to wars, suffering and the injustice which oppresses humanity.
Another major source of his inspiration comes from the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, from its heroes, prophets and kings, whose essential characteristics he represents while rejecting anecdote in order to express their universal meaning.
Music allowed him to express a search for fusion between man and the musical instrument. His works often represent a variety of feelings in the same character, in the same composition. He also depicts familiar animals such as dogs and cats.
After a long period of studying the stone to find a subject that “fits” the stone, Achiam created his works by cutting direct without using a model or making a sketch or prototype. He chose hard stone for his monumental works (granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
, basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
, sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
) and more sensual stone for his interior pieces (alabaster
Alabaster
Alabaster is a name applied to varieties of two distinct minerals, when used as a material: gypsum and calcite . The former is the alabaster of the present day; generally, the latter is the alabaster of the ancients...
, serpentinite
Serpentinite
Serpentinite is a rock composed of one or more serpentine group minerals. Minerals in this group are formed by serpentinization, a hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle...
).
Museums and public collections
A museum is dedicated to Achiam in Israel in the old Roman thermal bathsThermae
In ancient Rome, thermae and balnea were facilities for bathing...
of Shuni (Jabotinsky Park) in Binyamina near Caesarea.
Many of his works are in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art
Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris
Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris is the City of Paris Museum of Modern Art dedicated to the arts of the 20th/21st centuries. It is located at 11 Avenue du Président Wilson in the 16th arrondissement of Paris.-Description:...
and the National Museum of Modern Art
Centre Georges Pompidou
Centre Georges Pompidou is a complex in the Beaubourg area of the 4th arrondissement of Paris, near Les Halles, rue Montorgueil and the Marais...
in Paris.
The Open Museum of Tefen and the Lavon Sculpture Garden (Galilee
Galilee
Galilee , is a large region in northern Israel which overlaps with much of the administrative North District of the country. Traditionally divided into Upper Galilee , Lower Galilee , and Western Galilee , extending from Dan to the north, at the base of Mount Hermon, along Mount Lebanon to the...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
) permanently exhibit about ten of his works; nearby are works of other XXe century Israeli artists, such as Itzhak Danziger and Shlomo Selinger
Shlomo Selinger
Shelomo Selinger is an Israeli sculptor who was born in Jaworzno in Poland and immigrated to Israel in 1945. From 1955 to 1958, he studied at the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris.His sculptures in public places include:...
.
After his death, the suburban region of Arc-de-Seine acquired about twenty of his works so as to place them in the five constituent towns. In the town of Ville-d'Avray
Ville-d'Avray
Ville-d'Avray is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. The commune is served by the Boulogne-Billancourt prefecture, of the Hauts-de-Seine department.-Transport:...
, five of them, principally statues evoking music, have been installed in the castle park, near the Academy of Music. Not far away, the town of Sèvres
Sèvres
Sèvres is a commune in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris.The town is known for its porcelain manufacture, the Manufacture nationale de Sèvres, making the famous Sèvres porcelain, as well as being the location of the International Bureau of Weights...
exhibits five works, among them Rooster, Guitar Player, and Maternity.
Other institutions, like Gratz College
Gratz College
Gratz College is a general college of Jewish studies founded in 1895 offering a broad array of credentials and programs in virtually every area of higher Judaic learning to aspiring Jewish educators, communal professionals, lay people and others seeking to become more knowledgeable of...
in Philadelphia (USA), the Esterhazy Museum in Eisenstadt
Eisenstadt
- Politics :The current mayor of Eisenstadt is Andrea Fraunschiel ÖVP.The district council is composed as follows :* ÖVP: 17 seats* SPÖ: 8 seats* Austrian Green Party: 2 seats* FPÖ: 2 seats- Castles and palaces :...
(Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
), and the Caisse des dépôts et consignations
Caisse des dépôts et consignations
The Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations is a French financial organization created in 1816, and part of the government institutions under the control of the Parliament. Augustin De Romanet is the board chairman and chief executive...
also possess some works of Achiam.
Exhibitions
- 1948 ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
: René Drouin's galery. - 1953 ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
: René Breteau's galery. - 1957 ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
: Lara Vinci's galery. - 1965 ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
: Paul Ambroise' galery. - 1966 Philadelphia (USA) : Civic Center museum
- 1967 ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
: Paul Ambroise's galery. - 1969 Nancy (France) : Museum of Fine Arts of NancyMuseum of Fine Arts of NancyThe Museum of Fine Arts of Nancy is one of the oldest museums in France. It was created in 1793...
- 1971 LausanneLausanneLausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
(Switzerland) : Galerie l'Entracte. - 1973 AmsterdamAmsterdamAmsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
(Pays-bas) : Israel Galerie. - 1976 ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
: Paul Ambroise' galery. - 1980 HaifaHaifaHaifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
(Israel) : University museum - 1980 EisenstadtEisenstadt- Politics :The current mayor of Eisenstadt is Andrea Fraunschiel ÖVP.The district council is composed as follows :* ÖVP: 17 seats* SPÖ: 8 seats* Austrian Green Party: 2 seats* FPÖ: 2 seats- Castles and palaces :...
(Austria) : Schloss EsterházySchloss Esterházy----The Schloss Esterházy is a palace in Eisenstadt, Austria, the capital of the Burgenland state. It was constructed in the late 13th century, and came under ownership of the Hungarian Esterházy family in 1622... - 1984 ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
: Galerie Sculptures. - 1986 MeudonMeudonMeudon is a municipality in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is in the département of Hauts-de-Seine. It is located from the center of Paris.-Geography:...
(France) : Museum of Art and History. - 1988 Tefen (District nord (Israel-Golan Heights) : Open museum.
- 1992 MeudonMeudonMeudon is a municipality in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is in the département of Hauts-de-Seine. It is located from the center of Paris.-Geography:...
(France) : Museum of Art and History. - 1991-1993 Tefen (District nord (Israël-Golan) - Israël) : Open museum.
- 1995 Les AndelysLes AndelysLes Andelys is a commune in the Eure department in Haute-Normandie in northern France.-Geography:It lies on the Seine, about 35 km northeast of Évreux.The commune is divided into two parts, Grand-Andely and Petit-Andely.-Population:-Sights:...
(France) : Nicolas Poussin's museum. - 1996 Ville d'Avray (France) : Colombier Cultural Center.
- 1998 TrouvilleTrouvilleTrouville is the name or part of the name of several communes of Normandy, France:* Trouville, in the Seine-Maritime department* Trouville-sur-Mer, in the Calvados department, arguably the most famous of these communes, and commonly referred to as Trouville* Trouville-la-Haule, in the Eure department...
(France) : Galerie du Musée. - 1998 SèvresSèvresSèvres is a commune in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris.The town is known for its porcelain manufacture, the Manufacture nationale de Sèvres, making the famous Sèvres porcelain, as well as being the location of the International Bureau of Weights...
(France) : « Achiam in the city » - 2001 ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
: Galerie Arcane. - 2002 ille d'Avray)) (France) : Galery Corot.
- 2004 Ville d'Avray (France) : Colombier Cultural Center.
- 2005 VolvicVolvicVolvic is a commune in the Puy-de-Dôme department in Auvergne in central France.-History:The church at Volvic is dedicated to “St Priest” . Projectus was killed here in 676 AD.-References:* -External links:***...
(France) : Musée Marcel Sahut. - 2007 Aulnay-sous-BoisAulnay-sous-BoisAulnay-sous-Bois is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris.In October and November 2005, it gained national and international attention as one of the focuses of the French suburb riots.-Name:...
: exhibition on the theme of the bust line
Many works are exhibited in its sculpture garden in Sèvres. They can be seen at open houses that are regularly organized by the municipality.