The annual event celebrating art.
Slow Art Day is Saturday, April 5, 2025 Join Us!
Photo by Greg Neville
Freer Gallery of Art at the Smithsonian Hosts First Slow Art Day with Forest Bathing and Qigong
May 10th, 2025For their first Slow Art Day, the Freer Gallery of Art, part of the Smithsonian Asian Art Museum in Washington, D.C., hosted a day-long celebration focused on slowing the mind, body, and spirit.
Visitors were invited to participate in a series of immersive activities held in the Freer’s galleries and courtyard, designed to deepen observation and foster mindfulness through art and nature. The day offered both guided and self-guided experiences, welcoming adults and families alike.
Featured activities included:
- Guided Slow Looking sessions in Gallery 5, focusing on Japanese screens (11:30 a.m. family session; 1:30 p.m. adults-only session)
- Forest Bathing mindfulness walks in the courtyard led by naturalist and certified forest therapy guide Ana Ka’ahanui from Capital Nature (1 p.m. family session; 2 p.m. adults-only session)
- Qigong practice in the courtyard, or Gallery 17 in case of rain (12–1 p.m.)
- Self-Guided Slow Looking with sketching, writing, and conversational prompts available to encourage personal exploration at one’s own pace
Each session offered participants an opportunity to slow down, open their senses, and form a deeper, more personal connection with the art and environment around them.
Throughout the day, participants could be seen sketching quietly before the intricate screens, breathing mindfully in the courtyard, and moving gracefully through Qigong sequences that mirrored the flow of nature. The museum’s thoughtful integration of art, nature, and mindfulness—including the leadership of Ana Ka’ahanui in the forest bathing sessions—beautifully embodied the spirit of Slow Art Day.
We at Slow Art Day HQ love how the Freer Gallery of Art created such a great mix of events and wish we had been there to participate. We can’t wait to see what they come up with for Slow Art Day 2026.
– Ashley, Johanna, Jessica Jane, and Phyl
P.S. You can learn more about the Freer Gallery’s events and exhibits by visiting their website. You can also follow them on:
- Instagram: @freersackler
- Facebook: Freer and Sackler Galleries
- For more info see their post.
RiverBrink Art Museum Deepens Reflection Through Slow Looking
May 7th, 2025For their third Slow Art Day, RiverBrink Art Museum, located in Queenston, Ontario (Canada), invited visitors to slow down and deepen their connection with three selected artworks from their permanent collection. Guests were welcomed into the gallery and encouraged to sit quietly with each artwork, observing closely for five minutes before joining a facilitated group discussion led by Programming and Curatorial Assistant Moyu Chen.
Featured works included:
- “Effet de Pluie, Pont Aven” by Gustave Loiseau (n.d.)
- “Portrait of Frances Davis” by Francis Cotes (c. 1760)
- “Settlers’ Cabin in the Foothills [Early Canadian Settler]” by Cornelius Krieghoff (1859)
Participants reflected on visual details, brushwork, subject matter, and emotional tone. The museum provided extra seating to ensure an accessible and comfortable environment for slow looking, and a helpful handout (featured below) with observation questions created by the museum team.
We at Slow Art Day HQ love the art, the simple design and the ongoing partnership with RiverBrink. We look forward to what they come up with for Slow Art Day 2026.
– Ashley, Johanna, Jessica Jane, and Phyl
P.S. You can follow RiverBrink Art Museum on Instagram: @riverbrinkartmuseum
Meditation and Slow Art at Moderna Museet Malmö
May 3rd, 2025For their second year participating in Slow Art Day, Moderna Museet Malmö once again hosted a deeply reflective and engaging event that beautifully combined meditation with slow looking.
In the vibrant exhibition Vivian Suter – I Am Godzilla, participants gathered for a guided meditation session led by Ana María Bermeo, an artist, museologist, and certified meditation teacher. Through simple breathing and mindfulness exercises, Bermeo encouraged participants to slow their pace, immerse themselves in Suter’s rich visual world, and reconnect with their own inner experiences.
(Photo: Susanne Lindblad/Moderna Museet Malmö)
No prior experience with meditation was required — only a willingness to pause, breathe, and look slowly.
Attendees reported embracing the moment of silence and reflection, letting go of performance and expectation, and allowing themselves to experience both the art and their sensory impressions in a deeper, more contemplative way.
The bold, colorful canvases of Vivian Suter’s exhibition created a powerful backdrop for the session. For us at Slow Art Day HQ, it is particularly striking to witness participants seated quietly in a circle around these vibrant works, each deeply absorbed in silent meditation and reflection.
We are so grateful to Moderna Museet Malmö and to host Susanne Lindblad for continuing to be a valued part of the Slow Art Day movement. We can’t wait to see what they create for Slow Art Day 2026!
– Ashley, Johanna, Jessica Jane, and Phyl
P.S. You can follow Moderna Museet Malmö on:
- Instagram: @modernamuseetmalmo
- Facebook: Moderna Museet Malmö
Slow Art Day at the Boston Athenaeum: Honoring Allan Rohan Crite and Polly Thayer Star
April 30th, 2025For their second year participating in Slow Art Day, the Boston Athenaeum hosted a full day of slow looking and community reflection centered around the works of Boston artists Allan Rohan Crite (1910 – 2007) and Polly Thayer Starr (1904 – 2006).
Visitors were invited to explore the Athenaeum’s first floor galleries freely throughout the day or join one of four scheduled guided sessions at 11 am, 1 pm, 2 pm (a family session), and 3 pm. Each session began with 10 minutes of slow, close looking at a selected work, followed by a docent-led conversation encouraging participants to share their observations and experiences.
Featured works included:
- “Late Afternoon” by Allan Rohan Crite
- “Harriet and Leon” by Allan Rohan Crite
- “Marble Players” by Allan Rohan Crite (family session)
- “Self-Portrait” by Polly Thayer Starr
Self-guided visitors were encouraged to select their own piece of art and use a printed Slow Art Day handout (below) featuring guiding questions for deeper reflection.
On the day, the United States witnessed the largest coordinated protest since President Trump’s return to office, and the Athenaeum provided a space for contemplation and connection. The choice to highlight the works of Crite, an African American artist, and Starr, a female artist, resonated deeply on a day when issues of representation, equity, and justice were at the forefront of national discourse.
We at Slow Art Day HQ extend our gratitude to the Boston Athenaeum, and to all Slow Art Day hosts, this year for providing a sanctuary for reflection and dialogue during a pivotal moment in the world’s political discourse.
We look forward to seeing what the Boston Athenaeum designs for 2026!
– Ashley, Johanna, Jessica Jane, and Phyl
P.S. You can follow the Boston Athenaeum on:
- Instagram: @bostonathenaeum
- Facebook: Boston Athenaeum