Museums and galleries are caretakers of precious objects and architects of alternative learning. In these settings, Art objects are from another realm, one we are only permitted to access with sight.
Curators provide long-term protection, advocate for conservation, and enable learning through visual interpretation. We invite you to contemplate measures that museums and galleries use to discourage touch. Raised platforms, ropes, floor tape, signs, and glass boxes are all tools used to reinforce the social rule: Please Don’t Touch the Art. But what are we missing by not interacting with Artwork through touch?
This exhibit challenges your senses by presenting Artworks with textural surfaces that invite exploration beyond the visual. Tactile stimulus helps memory and enhances the experience produced by the Artist. So, we attempt to confront the limitations of gallery learning by offering pieces to explore with the sense of touch and play.
The wooden toys charmingly crafted by Vern Fisher are invitations to touch. Through this inclusive engagement, we attempt to dismantle the privilege of touch granted to only Curators and Artists. By directly resembling pieces from Lynnwood’s permanent collection, we find the balance between inclusive access and preservation.
Curated by Samantha Phyper
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