Madrid has long embraced public art as a cultural centerpiece, but how public can the art really be if it is fenced off, hoisted up on pedestals and generally made to feel out of reach to the community? One art collective believes that they have found the answer to all of our public art intimacy issues with their temporary installation, "Touch! Touch! Nothing Will Happen."
The members of Luzinterruptus began to notice how restricted the public art of Madrid felt, with ever-vigilant security cameras aimed at sites and marked off gardens constantly separating pedestrians from the art. Luzinterruptus devised a plan to make Madrid's public art more accessible to the citizens of the city: stick nipples all over public artworks in an effort to foster a more tactile response.
The light art collective began to ponder how to create an atmosphere where people were not only curious, but unable to resist the temptation of touching public art—possibly for the first time. They went straight to the source of their growing discontent, the Museum of Public Art in Madrid, and proceeded to attach 400 silicone breasts filled with small lights to statues, sculptures and any other piece of art that they saw fit.
The luminescent breasts attracted locals like a child to its mother's milk. Many could not help but draw their hands across the previously uninviting sculptures to experience this peculiar occurrence. Luzinterruptus was pleased with the results, noting in a statement that: "With this effective call, we got the people to approach the art that makes up their everyday environment, which they hardly notice, and devote some time to looking at it and touching it with delight." The crew enlisted the help of photographer Gustavo Sanabria to capture the display in all of its perky glory. All photos courtesy of Gustavo Sanabria.
