To celebrate Slow Art Day 2025, the Slow Art Club in Italy organized a special visit to the De Iorio Collection in Verona — one of the largest private contemporary art collections in Italy, with more than 700 works by artists from around the world.
The collection is displayed across several exhibition venues, including a striking former sawmill in Verona that has been thoughtfully renovated by the collector, Mauro De Iorio. The visit was reserved exclusively for the Slow Art Club.
The event began with a presentation by De Iorio, who spoke passionately about his motivations for collecting. He shared that his primary criterion when selecting artworks is their emotional impact, along with a shared interest with artists in social and psychological themes — an approach that closely aligns with the ethos of Slow Art Day, which centers on deep, intentional engagement with art.
Following the introduction, the experience unfolded in two parts: first, individual slow observation of selected artworks; then small-group discussions where attendees shared reflections and insights. The works chosen for the Slow Art experience were all created by female artists and reflected the collector’s personal interests.
Here are some of the artworks they slowly viewed:
a seachange, into something rich and strange, 2023, oil on linen and mixed media.
As is tradition, the group concluded the Slow Art event with a lovely lunch shared by all.
The Slow Art Club in Rovereto, Italy, founded by Piero Consolati, promotes slow-looking with events at different museums and collections across Italy.
Piero tells us that news about the Slow Art Club continues to spread far and wide across Italy and that, for example, one new member traveled 500 kilometers to participate in the 2025 event.
At Slow Art Day HQ, we celebrate the Slow Art Club of Italy, hope more Slow Art Clubs spring up around the world, and look forward to seeing what Piero Consolati and the club comes up with for Slow Art Day 2026.
— Jessica Jane, Ashley and Phyl
