Gabi Vidal-Irizarry, a guest writer for Artnet News's Wet Paint gossip column, recounts attending an "Artist Party" at the Museum of Modern Art featuring Arthur Jafa. The column then pivots to a profile of Jim Toth, the audio engineer behind the distinctive white pyramid speakers ubiquitous at New York art world events, tracing his career from the city's legendary 1980s nightlife scene to becoming the preferred sound provider for museums and elite patrons.
Toth's story matters because it highlights a crucial but often overlooked infrastructure figure in the art world. His career connects the dots between iconic cultural moments—from mixing sound for emerging artists like Madonna and Keith Haring to providing audio for contemporary museum parties and high-end gallery dinners—illustrating how the social and sensory experience of art events is professionally crafted.