Many of the artists featured in Giant Steps: Artists and the 1960s were the "industry disruptors" of their era. Yaacov Agam was no exception. During the 1960s, Agam began a series of works designed to vibrate, move, or make sound when touched, subverting the idea that art museums should be quiet and artworks should not be touched. Stroking any one of Loud Tactile Painting's 35 rattle-like, metal drums (which are attached to the canvas with long, slender springs) will trigger a cascade of jangling tones and bobbing shadows.
Visitors with Yaacov Agam's Loud Tactile Painting, 1962, on view in Giant Steps: Artists and the 1960s. Photograph by MK Photo.
The next time you're at the museum, be sure to ask a member of the museum’s security staff for a set of gloves so that you can engage with this interactive work!
