Exhibition reflects on the art and science of touch

19 December 2008

A new exhibition supported by a People Award from the Wellcome Trust is showing at the Courtauld Institute of Art. Called ‘Sculpture and Touch: Reflections on the art and science of a neglected sense’, it includes works by three contemporary artists and asks what role touch plays in our experience of sculpture.

Touch has fascinated natural philosophers and scientists from the time of Aristotle, who identified touch as fundamental, the only sense present in all animals and the only one that humankind possesses to a superior degree.

In the 13th century, Thomas Aquinas described touch as: "the first and in a way the root and foundation of all senses." Even today, these historical definitions continue to shape discussion of the senses, although experimental psychology is steadily extending our understanding of touch.

What we think of as touch is a complex combination of information coming from many different sensory receptors in our bodies. Some respond to pressure on the skin, while others enable us to feel where our muscles and joints are in relation to each other. This sensory information affects the way our brains construct representations of space.

The link between touch and sculpture is a theme in classical art and literature, most famously recalled in the myth of Pygmalion. A sculptor, Pygmalion fell in love with one of his works, caressing and kissing the unresponsive object of his desire. At last, through divine intervention, his infatuation brought the ivory statue to life. The story illustrates the pleasure of both shaping and handling a beautiful form. It also raises questions about how understanding the world through touch differs from looking at it - questions that continue to intrigue scientists, philosophers and artists alike.

The exhibition explores some of the many facets of the relationship between sculpture and touch, but at its heart lies the work of three contemporary artists: Rosalyn Driscoll, Claude Heath and Michael Petry. Each engages with touch in their work but in strikingly different ways. Visitors are invited to see and, more importantly, feel their way towards their own conclusions.

‘Sculpture and Touch’ is free and runs until 15 January 2009 in the Book Library Exhibition Space, East Wing, Courtauld Institute of Art. It was curated by Francesca Bacci and Peter Dent, and is funded by the Wellcome Trust and supported by the Research Forum at the Courtauld Institute of Art and the Centre for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento.

Images: From 'Sculpture and Touch: Reflections on the art and science of a neglected sense'; the Courtauld Institute of Art.