QUT Art Museum’s Slow Art Day 2019: “Want more!”
June 18th, 2019QUT Art Museum and their sister gallery, William Robinson Gallery, joined Slow Art Day for the first time in 2019, and according to their visitor survey, people left the museum and gallery wanting more.
Two of Queensland, Australia’s premier visual art institutions, QUT Art Museum and William Robinson Gallery asked participants to look slowly at five selected pieces in the exhibition Exchange value, which offered documentary photography by Gavin Watson.
Participants spent at least 10 minutes viewing and discussing each of the artworks with Sarah Barron, Public Programs Officer at QUT Art Museum.
Here’s what some of the participants said:
“Slow Art Day is such a great idea. Wonderful to take time to absorb and chat about the artworks.”
“Wonderful and insightful time. It opens up the art world to spend time with others discussing the works.”
“Loved it. Informative and reflected everyone’s ‘way of seeing’ the photographs.”
“Fun!“
“Marvelous! Amazing! Beyond!“
“What a great event – want more!“
We look forward to seeing what more QUT Art Museum has in store for Slow Art Day 2020.
Ashley
Multi-sensory Slow Art Day at BOZAR
June 17th, 2019BOZAR Center of Fine Arts in Brussels, Belgium hosted participants ages 10 to 70 in their multi-sensory 4th annual Slow Art Day in 2019.
Attendees focused on the exhibition Bernard van Orley: Brussels and the Renaissance, where they meditated in front of the rich landscapes within Bernard van Orley’s tapestries while listening to polyphonic renaissance music. Visitors also looked at portraits of the powerful but tragic Margaret of Austria while listening to her life story.
Participants reportedly went home with peaceful smiles.
We love to hear of such creative Slow Art Days, and look forward to BOZAR’s participation in 2020.
Ashley
Kelowna Art Gallery’s First Slow Art Day
June 16th, 2019This year marked the first Slow Art Day at the Kelowna Art Gallery in Kelowna, BC, Canada. Alison Trim, visual artist and graduate student in the MFA program at UBCO in Kelowna, along with the Gallery’s Public Programming Assistant Ryan Trafananko together hosted an afternoon that combined art exploration and information about the Poetics of Space exhibition.
Trim and Trafanako reported that many participants loved learning the art of slowing down and fully experiencing art — especially with this exhibition, which focused on the experience, creation, and dynamics of space.
We were very happy to hear that their first Slow Art Day went well, and are looking forward to Kelowna Art Gallery’s participation in 2020.
Ashley
Birmingham Museum of Art Celebrates 9th Slow Art Day
June 13th, 2019The Birmingham Museum of Art in Birmingham, Alabama participated in their 9th annual Slow Art Day, where Master Docent Marlene Wallace won new converts to the art of slowing down by observing and discussing 5 selected paintings from the museum’s collection.
A first-time participant (above left) from the University of Alabama was so inspired that she will be writing a paper about the artwork that she and docent Marlene Wallace (above right) stood in front of: Floral Garland with Holy Family (Descriptive) by Jan van Kessel the Elder, Flemish, Antwerp 1629-1679.
When we originally started Slow Art Day, we had hoped that museums would integrate a variety of slow looking exercises into their regular programming throughout the year. The Birmingham Museum of Art was one of the first to do that when they pioneered Slow Art Sundays.
We look forward to more innovation from The Birmingham Museum of Art including participation in their 10th Slow Art Day in 2020!
Ashley