The thick brushstrokes give the painting a 'tactile' quality.
visual and 'tactile' experiences
(..) to inaugurate an era of peace. A boyhood fantasy. I've seen this ship in the Smithsonian, `but I was never able to touch it. Does tactile contact alter your perception of the Phoenix? For humans, touch can connect you to an object in a very personal way. It makes it seem more real. (..)1996 Star Trek: First Contact