The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 14, 2025

Handful of Grains Map #6

1997–1998

Yizhak Elyashiv

(Israeli, b. 1964)
Israel, 20th century
drypoint and punched plate printed in blue and black inks
Sheet: 98.4 x 69.3 cm (38 3/4 x 27 5/16 in.); Platemark: 89 x 60.1 cm (35 1/16 x 23 11/16 in.)
Gift of family and friends in memory of Clarence P. Bryan 2000.16
© Yizhak Elyashiv
Location: Not on view

Description

Elyashiv creates maps by the simple gesture of throwing wheat grains onto the surface of plates and then puncturing the plates where the grains land. These dots are then connected with lines to construct a series of triangles, the lengths of which are recorded in a chart in a corner of the print. Elyashiv has linked nature and mathematics, randomness and control, to transform a fundamental human activity into a beautiful image reminiscent of star maps.
  • {{cite web|title=Handful of Grains Map #6|url=false|author=Yizhak Elyashiv|year=1997–1998|access-date=14 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2000.16