Slow Art Day 2017 in Cologne, Germany

Slow lookers at Jorn Keseberg’s studio in Cologne.

Host Sabine Klement writes,

Slow Art Day 2017 in Cologne took place at Jörn Keseberg’s studio in Köln-Ehrenfeld, one of the city’s most vibrant and trendiest districts, home to many artists’ studios and creative entrepreneurs.

There was a tough competition going on between beautiful, sunshine, the local soccer club having a derby and our quite avantgarde, subcultural, non-profit art event – yay! But it still worked out fabulously with about a dozen curious participants, willing to communicate on art with each other.

Instead of looking eight seconds at each artwork – the average museumvisitors’ attentionspan – we donated ten minutes to six (oops, one plus…) pre-selected art objects. As a result of hosting Slow Art Day for several years, I decided to give a signal every ten minutes to let the visitors know when to change their site. In the beginning most find it challenging to fix their attention for “such a long time” at one item. But the ability (or willingness?) to concentrate and to get involved more deeply grows swiftly.

As an artist, Jörn Keseberg is engaging with the connections between technology, nature, art and man – topics that concern every modern human being. He composes objects that captivate every viewer’s interest instantaneously with an unique mixture of beauty and weirdness, even horror. He frequently combines natural materials like time-worn rare timbers, small animal-bones or leaves with electronic components as parts of hard disks and draws on unlimited resources of aesthetically appealing bits and pieces. Accordingly there was an abundant supply of inspiring details to detect and ideas to discuss for the participants –
we couldn’t manage to wait until the obligatory “after-show-meeting!” Very happy visitors and promoter had coffee and cake afterwards at the café around the corner!

A huge THANKYOU♥ to the artist for inviting us to his studio! Looking forward to do it again next year, April 14 ;).

Notes From Hosts: Sabine Klement

notesfromhosts

Dear fellow-hosts,
dear Slow Art Day-coordination department ;),

cordial greetings from Cologne, where I’m happy to arrange a Slow Art-venue for the second time.

After coming to know Slow Art-movement last year and  ‘putting together’ spontaneously a small event in a museum during two weeks, I started my promotion earlier this time, counting 12 participants for now (which is actually completely enough…).

Slow Art Day is accidently falling together with Cologne Art Fair, a quiet meaningful art-event which fills the city and all ‘important’ art-institutions up with art-lovers.

As a counterpoint I decided to invite the Slow Art-group to the studio of an artist, I’m representing in my art-agency: Ulrike Heidkamp. Her works deserve any attention possible and pay back with as well asthetically valuable and touching impressions. (Thus witnessing the vitality of representational painting – if you are interested in taking a look at some of Ulrike Heidkamps paintings klick here .)
I consider the setting as corresponding to the ‘less is more’-approach. The event offers – after Ulrike being a very secluded artist – a rare opportunity to take an intense look at her paintings in the privacy of her studio.

Besides, the studio is placed in the biggest german studio-building under residents’ self-administration, with lots of cultural activities taking place regularly. By the way Slow-Art-Day-participants will gain insight into Cologne’s cultural ‘off’-scene.

I don’t know, what it’s like at your places, dear fellow-hosts – here, in Cologne, western Germany, spring is just arriving powerfully, sun sending it’s first really warm rays, birds singing out loud, everything blossoming and greening – very fitting athmosphere to take in some fresh art-impressions and exchange with others on the experience – so I have totally optimistic expectations about the event!

I wish you all the best and even if it may appear stale… THANKS incredibly lot to the Slow Art Day-Team for keeping the fire burning and doing a great organizational job for all, who participate in one way or the other in Slow Art Day 2014!

– Sabine Klement

Sign up to participate in this event here.