Essential Interactive Image

WOW effect

The Near Touch

"The ambivalence of the sense of touch in early modern prints" by Sharon Assaf

Also called the intrasitive touch, Assaf decribes this phenomenon where you can feel without physically touching, just by being close. She questions if tactile is need to succumb to otium, luxuria, lust, etc. In this work, the artist illustrates the visual of the needle being repeated stabbed into the cloth and pulled tightly to form the embroidery. Although we can not physically feel the lettering or the needle, the near touch is stimulating and delivers her message.

The artist uses shades of pastel colors throughout the exhibit, and in this particular peice uses a light shade of purple. In her goal to describe feminism, the initial view of the soft colors represents the soft spoken "lady-like" charisma that women are supposed to show. Similarly, the music playing is a soft and calming music. The auditory aspect combined with the soft colors activate a sense of nostolgia adding to the sense of feminism.However, as soon as the viewer read the text, the tone and style changes to what women actually symbolize: empowerment and strength.

Style

Mcquilkin

Embroidered into the fabric are the words "Illogical judgements lead to new experience". As both Assaf and Bolland explain, a mans original perception of a woman through sight can be extremly different than that of touch. Sometimes, judgement about a something, in this case women, lead to a brand new expirence in both touch and logic

Bolland

Bolland explains that as daphne transforms, Apollo's understanding shifts from visual admiration to tactile reality. His hand reaches out to touch her, only to find rough bark instead of soft flesh, illustrating the stark contract between perception and reality

Assaf

"The wife who represents the life of pleasure tempts her husband with joys that can be known through the senses, beginning with sight and ending with touch" (79)

Context:

Alex McQuilkin, Illogical Judgements, 2023

This peice is a from a collection called That Hand-Touch Sensibility where McQuilkin hand embroders quotes from Sol Lewitt’s Paragraphs on Conceptual Art. The pourpose of these works is to show the formation of female identity in a world full of patriarchy. The embroidered hoops are hung around a room on floral Laura Ashley and Ralph Lauren inspired wallpapers. This exhibit reveals a space filled with classic feminine colors and designs, hoping to shed light on the the stereotypic gender roles of our world.

• Materials: Classic fabric used to make dipers, thread, dye, and aluminum hoops
• Given to Georgetown from de boer, Los Angeles and Antwerp