For Slow Art Day 2025, Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery in London, England collaborated with Dr. Aleksandra (Sasha) Igdalova, an expert in the psychology of art perception, to host both a self-guided and facilitated slow looking experience centered on the exhibition Alison Watt: From Light.
This marked Pitzhanger’s second slow looking session with Dr. Igdalova, following an earlier event in March. The afternoon workshop brought together attendees of varied ages, many of whom were new to slow looking. Dr. Igdalova opened the session by introducing the research behind slow observation and outlining how careful, sustained attention can transform understanding and support mindfulness. She then guided participants through a 15-minute group slow look at a selected painting, using structured prompts to direct attention and encourage reflection. Between artworks, the group engaged in discussion, with participants increasingly opening up as the session progressed.
The featured exhibition, Alison Watt: From Light, provided a powerful context for the practice. Participants also spent extended time with other works including Peale and The Day After, discovering nuances that many said they would have otherwise overlooked.
According to post-session surveys, 96.67% of participants said they were extremely or very likely to try slow looking again.
Comments from the survey include:
“I experienced a deeper admiration and emotional connection with work I would have otherwise overlooked.”
“No one usually asks me what I think. I liked that.”
“I felt serene and calm. I felt unified with strangers and that was rewarding.”
“The calm and patience to look more deeply at each painting. This transformed the whole experience for me.”These reflections capture why Slow Art Day matters — our favorite is the one about how no one usually asks them what they think. Yes! In this world of extreme inequality, creating a space where every voice is invited and valued matters.
In parallel with the workshop, Dr. Igdalova developed a Self-Guided Slow Looking Guide (below) in collaboration with Pitzhanger Report for Slow Art Day. The guide is now permanently available in the gallery, inviting visitors to pause and reconsider their viewing habits. Staff observed that many visitors who initially spent only seconds per artwork stopped when encountering the guide, reflected on their pace, and chose to engage more deliberately. Some photographed the guide; others took copies home.
To promote the event, Pitzhanger’s communications team produced an Instagram reel featuring Dr. Igdalova’s recorded slow looking prompt layered over exhibition imagery, extending the practice beyond the gallery walls.
We thank Dr. Aleksandra Igdalova and the team at Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery for integrating research, facilitation, and accessible tools into a thoughtful Slow Art Day experience. We look forward to seeing what they come up with for Slow Art Day 2026.
– Ashley, Johanna, Jessica Jane, and Phyl
P.S. You can follow Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery on Instagram and LinkedIn.
