Tag Archives: first slow art day

First Slow Art Day Held in Athens, Greece

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This year the B&E Goulandris Foundation in Athens became the first museum in the Greek capital to host a Slow Art Day event.

The Foundation’s Slow Art Day included more than 200 visitors who looked slowly at these four artworks from their permanent collection:

  • “Caparisoned horse”, a funerary figurine from China’s Tang Dynasty (8th century)
  • “The Red Fish” by A.R. Penck on the second floor
  • “Large Study in Cadmium Red” by George Rorris on the third floor
  • “London Cityscape Piccadilly Circus I” by Chryssa on the fourth floor
The Red Fish by A. R. Penck, 1982 – one of four artworks chosen for Slow Art Day.

Visitors were invited to take a leaflet with slow looking prompts for their session, and were encouraged to keep it for their next visit. Facilitators also encouraged all visitors to discuss their Slow Art Day experiences with friends as well as to share on social media, using the hashtag #SlowArtDay.

Separately, The Foundation also co-hosted two mindfulness sessions with art historian, educator and mindfulness instructor Lydia Petropoulou.

Those sessions focused on Friedensreich Hundertwasser’s work “Ninety-nine Heads”, with the first session being for both adults and children aged 7+, while the second one was for adults only.

99 Heads by Friedensreich Hundertwasser, 1952.

The mindfulness sessions, they said, aimed to help participants become active, conscious viewers, encouraging them to draw information from what they see and feel instead of what they already know.

The B&E Goulandris Foundation submitted over 100 photos from their event for this report, which capture the beauty of slow looking at a range of the museum’s collection (we have included a few of those photos below our signature line).

We can’t wait to see what the B&E Goulandris Foundation comes up with for Slow Art Day 2025!

-Johanna, Ashley, Jessica Jane, and Phyl

See a selection of photos below.

Boston Athenaeum Hosts First Slow Art Day

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For their first Slow Art Day, Boston Athenaeum in Massachusetts invited participants to join one of four 30-minute slow looking and discussion sessions. (Note: As well as being a museum and cultural center, the Athenaeum is also one of America’s oldest member supported libraries.)

Slow Art Day participants being led in discussion by a docent. Photo by Fritz Holznagel.

The slow looking sessions were led by volunteer docents as well as the children’s librarian. The docents selected the works of art for slow looking, including works by Bradley Phillips, Allan Rohan Crite, and Polly (Ethel) Thayer.

The Empire City, 1987. Bradley Phillips (American, 1929–1991).

Marble Players, 1938. Allan Rohan Crite (American, 1910–2007).

Self Portrait, 1943. Polly (Ethel) Thayer (1904–2006).
Donald Starr, 1935. Polly (Ethel) Thayer (1904–2006).

Visitors to the Athenaeum who didn’t participate in the scheduled slow looking sessions were offered a slow looking hand-out (attached below), and were invited to select a piece of art for their own slow looking. They also received a blank piece of paper, clipboard and pencil to help them sketch and/or list what they were noticing.

Slow-Art-Day-handoutDownload

We are so glad to welcome the Boston Athenaeum to the global slow looking movement and are eager to see what design they come up with for Slow Art Day 2025.

– Johanna, Ashley, Jessica Jane, and Phyl.

PS. You can find details of other events at the Boston Athenaeum via their Instagram or Facebook page.

Corridor Contemporary’s First Slow Art Day in Philadelphia, PA

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On April 15, Corridor Contemporary, located in the vibrant Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia, PA, hosted their first Slow Art Day in conjunction with the debut of their exhibition Printed Perspectives.

The location in Philadelphia is a sister gallery to owner Erez Zemach’s main gallery in Tel Aviv, both of which exhibit emerging and established Israeli and international artists. They showcase a range of contemporary art from figurative and photorealism to fresh contributions of graffiti and the wider street art vibe.

They kept the design of their Slow Art Day event simple, and recommended that participants choose at least 3 artworks and view them slowly for 5 minutes (perhaps even using a timer). They prompted viewers to consider what other areas of their life might benefit from intentionally slowing down.

Flyer for the event.

Main gallery at Corridor Contemporary.
Participants slowly viewing a work in the main gallery.

The gallery reported that they had quite a successful event with about 100 visitors attending throughout the day. I had the pleasure of being one of those participants, and was particularly drawn to the work of West Philadelphia artist King Saladeen in his solo exhibition: No Middle Cla$$. I found myself taking in his works for much longer than 5 minutes, and I wasn’t alone. They drew quite an audience.

Ashley Moran with work by King Saladeen.
Artwork by King Saladeen.
Staircase gallery at Corridor Contemporary.

Corridor Contemporary has three floors of galleries, and I found the small, winding staircase to be a perfect intimate spot to look slowly at skateboards adorned with art by Keith Haring from The Skateroom.

At Slow Art Day HQ, we love to see the breadth of institutions that participate in Slow Art Day, from local galleries such as this to the larger museums. It proves that Slow Art is truly accessible to all. I am particularly delighted to have discovered Corridor Contemporary’s gallery in my own neighborhood, and can’t wait for their event in 2024.

– Ashley, with Johanna, Jessica Jane, and Phyl

P.S. – You can visit their social media here: Instagram | Facebook | X | Pinterest

First Turkish Slow Art Day at Ayzeradant Art Gallery

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Ayzeradant Gallery in the city of Izmir hosted Slow Art Day in April of 2023 bringing the slow art movement to Turkey for the first time.

Performance artist and medical doctor Pınar Derin Gençer, based in Istanbul and Stockholm, was invited to perform her work “Watching the Waves”.

Slow Art Day poster for the event. Shared to Instagram.

Derin works mainly on performance art, visual arts, installation, writing and objects. According to Performance Art Weekly, her art “studies the relationship between the physical, psychological, historical field of the life, of the nature, of the city and the human.”

Derin is the founder/creative director of Istanbul Performance Art, Stockholm Performance Art and 24 Hours Art, and chief curator of Open Performance Space.

In “Watching the Waves”, the viewer experiences ways of thinking about the times between self and world, sensitive knowledge, and the space between object and world. 

After the performance, the art director of the gallery, Nihat Özdal, hosted a conversation with the gallery visitors on “Slow Art”, in which participants also got the opportunity to reflect together on the performance.

Below are photos showing some of the stages in the performance by Pınar Derin Gençer. Although seemingly simple, the process of actively following the artist drawing lines on the wall becomes an immersive experience.

Stage in the performance “Watching the Waves” by Pınar Derin Gençer for Slow Art Day 2023
Stage in the performance “Watching the Waves” by Pınar Derin Gençer for Slow Art Day 2023
Stage in the performance “Watching the Waves” by Pınar Derin Gençer for Slow Art Day 2023

The name of the gallery, “Ayzeradant”, comes from the “temple of wisdom” sign that the Armenian poet Tıngır hung at the entrance of his house in Buca in the 1800s. Tıngır was found dead in the grave he dug himself in 1881.

At Slow Art Day HQ, we are excited to see Slow Art Day gaining a foothold in Turkey. We look forward to future events from Ayzeradant Gallery, and hope that they will host a Slow Art Day also in 2024.

-Johanna, Jessica Jane, Phyl and Ashley

PS. Stay updated with events at Ayzeradant Gallery via their Instagram page.

Slow Art Day with Rosé at the Bula Barua Gallery

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For their first Slow Art Day, the Bula Barua Gallery in St. Petersburg, Florida, hosted an event called “Rosé and Fine Art.”

Arriving guests were welcomed with a glass of wine or water and given a slow tour of The Bula Barua Gallery. Each artwork had a QR code, which revealed the artwork’s story and description. 

Slow looking participant at the Bula Gallery, 2023

The Bula Gallery space

Bula Barua is an artist whose conscientious approach to painting fits in well as a slow making approach. In her own words:

“I take a lot of time to plan out my paintings before I pick up a brush. I first start with a sketch and then graduate to pigments and paints. It often takes hundreds of layers of color to bring my vision to life […] This entire process from start to finish can take weeks or months, depending on the size of my canvas and which materials I use.”

Bula Barua. Statement from the Bula Gallery Website.

At Slow Art Day HQ we hope that more individual artists copy Bula Burua and host Slow Art Day events in their galleries and studios. It’s a great way to deepen their relationship with their followers, fans, and potential buyers.

We look forward to what Bula Burua comes up with for Slow Art Day 2024.

-Johanna, Ashley, Phyl, and Jessica Jane.

New Delhi’s First Slow Art Day – Gallery Art.Motif

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For their first Slow Art Day (and as the first registered Slow Art Day in New Delhi), Gallery Art.Motif  opened up the gallery to slow looking enthusiasts.

Slow looking participants
Slow looking participants

The event began at 11:00 am. Visitors were first welcomed by Joan Lueth, Slow Art Day Host at the gallery, and Gallery Owner and Director, Mala Anneja. We at Slow Art Day HQ want to point out that Lueth first brought Slow Art Day to China when she lived in Shanghai, and now, since moving to New Delhi, she has continued her evangelism by working with Anneja to bring it to the Indian capital.

The design of their day was simple: Lueth and Anneja invited participants to choose an artwork they felt drawn to. All participants spent time looking slowly at the art, and then after their slow looking, everyone came together over lunch to talk about the experience.

The Gallery primarily showcases contemporary abstract and non-representational art from both upcoming and established artists, leaving plenty of room for interpretations and impressions to share with others during the Slow Art Day discussion component.

We thank Leuth for continuing to bring Slow Art Day out around the world and can’t wait to see what Art.Mofif Gallery come up with for Slow Art Day 2024, and hope that other galleries in India will also be inspired to join the slow looking movement.

-Johanna, Phyl, Ashley, and Jessica Jane.

First Slow Art Day at 1 UV Gallery Studio

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For their first Slow Art Day, the 1 UV Gallery Studio in Saratoga, CA, invited visitors to a slow looking and discussion session with Larissa Dahroug, artist, Reiki Master teacher, and owner of 1 UV Gallery Studio.

View of 1 UV Gallery Studio, Slow Art Day 2023. Photo: Larissa Dahroug

Larissa promoted her Slow Art Day event by reaching out to local artists, government officials, and local museum employees in advance of the day.

Flier for Slow Art Day 2023 at 1 UV Gallery Studio

She had a small audience for the day, but it was a good start.

And in June of 2023, Larissa hosted a Saratoga Chamber of Commerce event at her Gallery where she introduced the concept of slow business, the Slow Movement, and in particular Slow Art Day to the attendees.

She is also in touch with the leader of the Bloomington, Illinois Slow Art Day, Pamala Eaton, who has developed a 15+ gallery event in that city – which Larissa hopes to replicate in Saratoga.

At Slow Art Day HQ, we are excited to see another citywide movement develop, this time in Saratoga.

We look forward to whatever Larissa and the city of Saratoga come up with for Slow Art Day 2024.

– Johanna, Ashley, Jessica Jane and Phyl

Japanese Fairytale Reading at Coral Gables

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For their first Slow Art Day the Coral Gables Museum in Florida featured the reading of a Japanese fairy tale, and an exhibit with Japanese-style art by the artist known as The Talented Mr. Martin. The South Florida Charter Ensemble, a non-profit dedicated to improving lives through music, was a co-sponsor of this Slow Art Day, and took the lead in promoting and organizing the session (flyer below).

Flyer created for the Coral Gables Museum event, sponsored by SFCE Music

The session began with the Japanese Fairy Tale “Issun-bōshi”. The story revolves around a boy born to elderly parents, who had wanted a child for a long time. Despite Issun-bōshi only being one-inch tall, and never growing taller, he distinguishes himself through his courage and strong-will. In the story, he journeyes to far-off lands to find his place in the world, carrying a samurai sword made from a sewing needle, with a boat constructed from a rice bowl and rudder made from chopsticks. Below is a japanese drawing of Issun-bōshi, as he travels in his small boat.

Issun-bōshi going down the river in a bowl from “Buddha’s crystal and other fairy stories” (1908). Public Domain.

The day’s event then transitioned into a slow looking session focused on Japanese art.

Here are some photos they sent to us from the day, featuring samurai armor constructed by The Talented Mr. Martin. The armor connects to the theme of bravery in the context of Japanese culture, which the children also encountered in the story of Issun-bōshi.

We are glad to have the Coral Gables Museum and the South Florida Charter Ensemble join the slow looking movement. Reading a known fairytale that connects to the theme is a great idea to for a Slow Art Day event for children, and we hope that more museums might be inspired by this.

We look forward to what the Coral Gables Museum creates for Slow Art Day 2024.

– Johanna, Ashley, Phyl and Jessica Jane

300 Attend The BIG Show in Rural Canada

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For their first Slow Art Day, the Glengarry Artists’ Collective, a volunteer-driven organization of artists in eastern rural Ontario, Canada, designed “The BIG Show”, an event highlighting local art and artists.

The Collective’s mission is to create programs focused on community, and they encouraged visitors to slowly look at a selection of 149 artworks by 39 artists. About 300 participants attended the event.

Slow looking participants at the Glengarry Collective Slow Art Day event, 2023.

Ahead of Slow Art Day, the Collective posted a promo on their website and printed posters for the venue. 

On April 15th, they welcomed participants at the venue and encouraged them to use the following prompts when viewing the artworks:

  1. Look
    Take time (5 to 10 minutes) and slowly let your eyes wander all over the work. Look at it from different angles and distances.
  2. Observe
    Notice the colors, shapes, textures and markings on the surface of the artwork. Where does your eye focus?
  3. Feel
    What words come to mind about this art work? How do you feel looking at this art work? Does it evoke any memories?
  4. Share
    Share your experience of the work with someone or post an image of the work online with a word of reflection and #slowartday2023.

Slow looking participants at the Glengarry Collective Slow Art Day event, 2023.

Slow looking participant contemplating an image from a distance at the Glengarry Collective Slow Art Day event, 2023.

The hosts Alison Hall and Yvonne Callaway toured the venue, looking and talking with visitors. They agreed to let the audience choose the works they wanted to look at slowly, rather than imposing a selection on them. The photos above offer a sense of the engagement generated. They told us at Slow Art Day that, “There was lots of art talk, more than at most shows. People engaged with the works and each other.”

We love that the Glengarry Collective was able to bring out so many people in rural Canada and look forward to what they come up with for Slow Art Day 2024.

– Ashley, Johanna, Jessica Jane, and Phyl

PS. Stay up to date about events by the Glengarry Collective via their Facebook page

Slow Art Therapy at MACBA in Spain

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For their second Slow Art Day, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Barcelona (MACBA), Spain, held an event hosted by certified art therapists from the Fundacion La Casa Ambar titled “A Conscious Visit to Art.”

Participants were first invited to look slowly at the following five artworks:

  • “Enderroc” by Ignasi Aballí
  • “Rinzen, Subito despertar” by Antoni Tàpies
  • “Eco de una carta inacabada” by Elena del Rivero
  • “Movil Home” by Mona Hatoum
  • “Dialegs de Llum” by Josep Grau-Garriga

After the slow looking exercise, art therapists Aura Pizarro, Joaquim Basart and Maribel Perpiñá led the group in a facilitated discussion using gestalt psychotherapy, which focuses on one’s present life rather than on past experiences. Through the discussion, participants shared reactions to the art and discovered common themes of friendship, play, family, pain, and happiness.

Slow Art Day is founded on the principle of being present in the moment, and we at HQ love to see how MACBA and the Fundacion La Casa Ambar combined Slow Looking with Gestalt Art Therapy. The Fundacion La Casa Ambar also mentioned that they offer therapy to everyone, irrespective of economic means — and radical inclusivity is another shared principle with Slow Art Day.

We are excited to see what the MACBA and the Fundacion La Casa Ambar come up with for Slow Art Day 2024.

– Johanna, Ashley, Jessica Jane, and Phyl