A Life Shaped by Time and Personal Experience
He is Noam Ben-Jacov, born in the mid-twentieth century on a communal agricultural kibbutz in northern Israel. His mother was of Tunisian descent and had a loving and nurturing personality, while his father was a pioneering German-Israeli artist who escaped from Nazi Berlin and lost his entire family. He studied jewelry design at Nova Scotia’s University of Art and Design before moving to the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam, where he was able to develop his own style of body-related sculptures.
Noam’s fascination with time and the process of moving through life has led him to create art that reflects his personal experiences and the events that have shaped him. The titles of his works often hold great significance to him as they represent the red thread that ties his life together.
While he has a strong connection to his past and present, Noam does not limit his works to any specific category or direction. Instead, he views his art as a search for meaning and expression, and he aims for it to speak, scream, or sing when viewed as a whole.
From Existential Processes to Emotional Connections
Traveling, learning, and working through the creative process are all things that Noam deeply enjoys and values. For him, the individual in question views time not merely as a commodity but as a crucial force that molds and impacts our lives and experiences. Although the popular saying “time is money” may imply that time is a mere object of trade, a more intricate comprehension shows that time is, in actuality, a crucial force that profoundly influences and shapes our lives and experiences.
Noam characterizes his artistic oeuvre as a compilation of existential processes, experiences, thoughts, and musings that have been transmuted into diverse art forms. He perceives his work as a journey, emphasizing the importance of the atmosphere and the quest for meaning. The artist eschews categorizing his work and instead hopes that it will communicate and elicit emotional responses from viewers. Noam is represented by Pictoright Amsterdam and the International Copyright Association.
Despite not being a choreographer by trade, Noam takes a hands-on approach to crafting movements for dancers as the work is deeply personal to him. This idiosyncratic approach adds a fascinating dimension to the productions. The artist is drawn to works that strike a chord with his personal beliefs and experiences, and that can trigger profound emotional connections with the audience. Noam strives to create art that the average person can relate to and aspire to become part of – work that imbues them with a sense of purpose and a feeling of belonging to humanity. His creative process is especially captivated by intangible qualities that are not always explicitly expressed, such as the moment when an apple is not yet ripe or when a musical composition is not yet fully formed. For Noam, genuine art arises when humans are free to make mistakes and embrace their flaws, rather than being constrained by rigid expectations. His goal is to produce work that celebrates humanity and its existential aspects, devoid of any religious affiliations but instead reflecting the essence of the human experience.
Sources of Inspiration and Artistic Vision of Noam Ben-Jacov
Noam Ben-Jacov values having sufficient space around him when he creates. When he is in the company of others, he prefers to be surrounded by like-minded, enthusiastic individuals. Alternatively, he seeks to be moved by an ineffable feeling that compels him to work and create without cessation.
Noam’s sources of inspiration are diverse and varied. He draws inspiration from the cadence of daily life and the subtleties of his personal experiences. He is especially intrigued by the complex dynamics of human relationships, which are often riddled with fear and tinged with a fragile vulnerability. These intricate details, which may seem insignificant to the average person, are what inspire Noam to create.
Noam Ben-Jacov is a discerning artist, selective in his choices of pieces to exhibit from his atelier. He opts only for those with which he can wholeheartedly identify and confidently present to a non-acquainted audience, including intricate “body-sculptures” that require a significant investment of time and energy. Despite their exceptional complexity and prolonged development over many months, if not years, Noam aspires to showcase them in a captivating live performance, whether it be a comprehensive evening event or a more minimalistic solo display. He envisions bringing this unique form of art to receptive and open-minded audience regions like the United States and Asia, in particular Japan.
The Personal Growth and Lessons of Noam Ben-Jacov’s Art
Noam has previously introduced his work in the Netherlands, Germany, Lisbon, and Jerusalem, facing numerous obstacles and limited resources along the way. Despite these challenges, his exhibitions were met with resounding acclaim, and he remains hopeful that he can continue to share new and innovative ways of thinking with an interested audience.
For Noam, art serves as a catalyst for personal growth and development, allowing for exploration of strengths and weaknesses, insights into the human condition, and the ability to express a range of emotions through facial expressions.
Although he acknowledges that pursuing art may not be his calling in future lives, Noam values the lessons that art has imparted on him. He loves collaborating with others, pursuing his passions, and living life to the fullest, but sometimes finds himself yearning for a different existence.
Nevertheless, Noam finds it heartening to receive recognition and appreciation for the fruits of his artistic labor and is grateful for it.
“And yes, by the end of the day when I’m Looking at my work as an over whole, as total… then I like them to talk, scream preferably just sing…”
