Proximity Based Upon Perception

I really enjoy the fact that art is all simply about perception. There are manipulations done by the artist in order to make direct points however, art is what we make of it. I noticed when I was reading Mary Stuart's, Launching the Imagination, a topic she addressed was proximity. She used the painting of Creation of Adam by Michaelangelo to make her point that "[c]areful use of proximity can create tension" (Stewart 70). Then she indicates that less than 6 inches of space separate the men's hands in the painting (Stewart 70). The perception that there is tension felt between the viewer and the subjects within the particular art is arbitrary. After all, one may understand the close proximity as a simple gesture of light and kind enlightenment or help that may not be strong or tension filled at all. If Michaelangelo wanted to really created tension with proximity, he may have had the hands in the painting touch to create a tension between the senses for the subjects as well as trigger emotion from the individuals viewing the painting.