For their first Slow Art Day – as part of the large 2025 citywide event in Mexico City, the contemporary gallery PEANA in Mexico City, Mexico hosted an immersive slow looking experience centered on “Their Silhouettes Bristled With Razors,” the first solo exhibition at the gallery by Mexican artist Naomi Rincón Gallardo.
Rincón Gallardo’s work explores themes of contemporary violence, decolonial thought, and ancient Mesoamerican narratives. The exhibition was presented in a dim, atmospheric environment that invited visitors to slow down and spend time contemplating the symbolic imagery and layered storytelling within the works.
The PEANA team welcomed visitors with a brief introduction and encouraged participants to approach the experience with openness and curiosity. Printed reflection prompts were distributed to guide the slow looking process, asking visitors questions about the symbolism they noticed, their first impressions of the artworks, and how their perceptions evolved as they spent more time observing.
Participants during the Slow Art Day event. Photo courtesy of PEANA.
The prompts also invited creative responses, encouraging participants to draw, write a poem, or describe their reactions after spending time with the artworks. This simple but powerful structure helped visitors move beyond quick viewing and into deeper engagement with the themes and emotional resonance of the exhibition.
Several works from the exhibition served as focal points for slow looking, including Mechatronic Butterfly, Eclipse I, and Me enterraron boca arriba con la lengua fuera (Tlaltecuhtli). These works combine sculptural elements, video, and mythological imagery to create powerful visual narratives rooted in Indigenous cosmologies and contemporary cultural critique.
Mechatronic Butterfly. Photo courtesy of PEANA.Eclipse I. Photo courtesy of PEANA.Me enterraron boca arriba con la lengua fuera (Tlaltecuhtli). Photo courtesy of PEANA.
By pairing immersive artworks with guided reflection prompts, PEANA created an environment where visitors could slow down, contemplate difficult themes, and engage with the artworks in a personal and meaningful way.
Approximately 60 visitors participated in PEANA’s Slow Art Day experience, making a wonderful contribution to Mexico City’s citywide celebration.
We at Slow Art Day HQ are grateful to the team at PEANA and to Constanza Ontiveros Valdés, who organized the 2025 citywide event. And we are amazed that Ontiveros Valdés has already organized more than 35 galleries and museums for Slow Art Day 2026. We can’t wait!
— Ashley, Johanna, Jessica Jane, and Phyl
P.S. If you have not yet registered your museum of gallery for Slow Art Day 2026, please do.
In 2025, Mexico City hosted its first city-wide Slow Art Day – and what may be the largest city-wide in the world – with 35 participating venues, coordinated by art writer and cultural organizer Constanza Ontiveros Valdés.
Ontiveros Valdés organized an unexpectedly wide range of participants, from established museums and galleries to alternative and emerging cultural spaces across the city.
The venues offered a rich mix of programming, including yoga, meditation, aromatherapy, workshops, panel discussions, and multidisciplinary artistic happenings. She noted that the accessibility and inclusiveness of Slow Art Day encouraged participation across diverse spaces, all eager to explore slow looking in ways that felt authentic to their communities.
We received reports from seven of the 35. Below are those highlights.
Galería Oscar Román featured an artist-led conversation titled “Sombras del Pintor” (Shadows of the Painter) with artist Saúl Kaminer, followed by a guided visit to his exhibition “La Tierra en el Cielo” (The Earth in the Sky). Kaminer shared insights into his creative process and the narratives behind his work, inviting participants to engage slowly through conversation and close observation. The session encouraged reflection on the relationship between art and nature, with visitors spending extended time discussing individual works.
Arte Abierto Reported by: Guadalupe Salcedo, Communications
Arte Abierto‘s Public Programs Team designed a Slow Art Day experience around the exhibition long last happy by Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone. Participants engaged in contemplative observation of the large format sculptures the sun and the moon (2022), followed by individual and group body activations inspired by dance and performance. The program invited participants to explore the idea of opposing forces through both stillness and body movement. Adults and children took part, and the event received significant public and media engagement.
Host: Constanza Ontiveros Valdés, Art Writer and Cultural Projects Coordinator Venue contact: Julia Villaseñor, Communications and Media Director
At kurimanzutto, participants were introduced to Slow Art Day through breathing and relaxation exercises before engaging in close looking with works by Haegue Yang from the exhibition Arcane Abstractions. The group explored intricate paper collages from the Mesmerizing Mesh series and interacted physically with the sculptural installation Mesmerizing Votive Pagoda Lantern. The session concluded with a hands-on activity in which participants created visual responses to their observations and shared reflections.
Natalia Martinez Aanaya, Communications Manager shared that Alejandra Topete Gallery participated with Between Threads and Stories, featuring works by Jason Kriegler and Claribel Calderius. The program included individual meditation sessions throughout the day and an empowering roundtable discussion led by Maria Ortiz, Cultural Mediator. Visitors were encouraged to form personal connections with the artworks through guided dialogue and slow observation.
Naranjo 141 gathered participants to look slowly at five selected works from their current exhibition. The session began with a brief introduction to Slow Art Day and the gallery’s residency program. Visitors then spent six to seven minutes in silent observation with each of five selected works:
Lily Alice Baker, Mothers’ Meeting (2024)
Colleen Herman, Blood Bloom in a Blue Field (2024)
Lee Maxey, Face the Front (2024)
Kataria Riesing, Holster (2024)
Pauline Shaw, Blackout (2025)
After slow looking, participants came together for a facilitated group discussion, sharing observations and personal responses over light refreshments. The session concluded with informal conversation and continued engagement with the exhibition.
Lee Maxey, Face the Front (2024)Lily Alice Baker, Mothers’ Meeting (2024)
Tinta Naranja focused on close observation of graphic design and visual culture. Participants explored original materials related to the Mexico 1968 Olympic design system, discussing the origins and historical context of the typography and imagery. The session concluded with a participatory activity in which attendees designed their own names using Olympic-inspired typographic forms.
Zona de Riesgo Art hosted a free evening program that combined slow looking, guided meditation, sound art, and collective reflection. The event opened with a brief introduction, then featured two guided meditative experiences led by artist Mónica Martz M.
The first, Realm of the Devas, combined guided meditation with sound art by Bruno Bresani and the projection of two visual works by Mónica Martz M.
After a short pause, Mónica Martz M. led a second meditation that explored The Human Realm, accompanied by sound art from Mercedes Balard and Montserrat Coltello, alongside projected works by Bruno Bresani.
Following the meditations, participants gathered for an open conversation, sharing sensations, images, and reflections that emerged during the experience. The evening concluded with expressions of gratitude among artists and attendees, highlighting the value of creating spaces for stillness, contemplation, and shared presence.
Together, these seven reports represent just a portion of the 35 venues that participated in Mexico City’s first citywide Slow Art Day. The range of formats—artist talks, guided observation, movement-based practices, meditation, and slow making—demonstrates how Slow Art Day can scale across a major global city while remaining grounded in local artistic practice. Check out a great article summarizing the day (in Spanish).
We thank Constanza Ontiveros Valdés for her leadership and all participating venues, artists, facilitators, and visitors for making this inaugural citywide Slow Art Day possible. We look forward to seeing what they come up with for Slow Art Day 2026.
This year’s Slow Art Day is coming up Saturday, April 5, and I’m happy to report a major development for our 15th year: Mexico City is officially joining the citywide Slow Art Day movement.
Thanks to Constanza Ontiveros Valdés, a Mexican art writer and cultural project leader, CDMX (the initials used in Mexico for Mexico City) will be hosting what appears to be now 37 venues across the city.
Wow! ¡Increíble! ¡Chingón!
Ontiveros has worked to organize art galleries, cultural centers, and museums to participate and create workshops, slow looking tours, and related programs. She reports taking inspiration from other successful initiatives such as the one in Bloomington, Illinois, as well as Rome, Antwerp, Philadelphia, and Saratoga in California.
The list of participating venues continues to grow, but as of today, the venues confirmed for Mexico City’s Slow Art Day include:
Alejandra Topete Gallery: A recently opened gallery focusing on innovative curatorial projects that engage diverse media and concepts. It also integrates the owner’s restoration practice.
Amplia Gallery: A hybrid space dedicated to contemporary artistic practices, offering exhibitions, talks, and collaborations that foster dialogue and experimentation.
Arróniz Contemporary Art Gallery: Established in 2006, the gallery focuses on contemporary Latin American art, representing both emerging and mid-career artists with diverse exhibitions.
Arte Abierto – Cultural Space: Situated within the Artz Pedregal shopping center, this cultural space is designed to accommodate large-scale installations and promote contemporary art.
Arte Uno Gallery: A multidisciplinary gallery committed to showcasing Mexican contemporary art through curated exhibitions and creative community outreach.
CAM Gallery: A contemporary art gallery that showcases a diverse range of artists, focusing on innovative and thought-provoking exhibitions.
Casa Wabi Sabino: This beautiful space in Mexico City is part of Fundación Casa Wabi, integrating the Bosco Sodi Studio with a program of temporary contemporary art exhibitions.
Claroscuro Gallery: Specializing in contemporary art, Claroscuro showcases diverse artists and media, aiming to promote innovation and stimulate reflection.
Color CDMX Gallery: A gallery dedicated to promoting the work of Antonio Tovar (In Memory) and serving as an open space for new artists and different concepts.
Enrique Guerrero Gallery: Established in 1997, this gallery specializes in contemporary Latin American art, representing both established and emerging artists.
Ethra Gallery: Focused on contemporary art, Ethra represents a mix of established and emerging artists, highlighting innovative practices and diverse media.
Fiera Arte no Domesticado: A nomadic and experimental platform showcasing raw, outsider, and nonconforming artistic voices through immersive exhibitions and events.
Icons Gallery (Íconos Galería): A gallery that highlights iconic and emerging figures in Mexican contemporary art, bridging traditional techniques with current cultural discourses.
Kaluz Museum: Set in a historic building, Kaluz presents a private collection of Mexican art from the 18th to 21st centuries, inviting reflection on landscapes, people, and identity. It also showcases contemporary art.
Karen Huber Gallery: Specializing in contemporary art, the gallery focuses on emerging and mid-career Mexican and international artists, emphasizing innovation.
Kurimanzutto Gallery: Founded in 1999 by Mónica Manzutto and José Kuri, this gallery represents Mexican and international artists with dynamic exhibitions.
Lago Algo: A stunning cultural venue located by Chapultepec Lake, showcasing contemporary art programs that emphasize Latin American practices and public engagement programs.
Le Laboratoire: An experimental and collaborative space located in a creative hub fostering interdisciplinary collaborations and innovative exhibitions.
LS Gallery: A contemporary gallery showcasing innovative practices and diverse media, representing both Mexican and international artists.
Museo Casa de Carranza: A historic house museum exploring the Mexican Revolution and President Venustiano Carranza’s legacy through period settings and archives.
Museo Jumex: A leading institution in Latin America for contemporary art, hosting international exhibitions and showcasing the Jumex Collection.
Museo Vivo del Muralismo: Opened in 2024, this museum in Mexico City’s historic center features over 3,000 square meters of murals by Diego Rivera and other muralists. Located within a UNESCO site, it explores Mexico’s muralist heritage.
Naranjo 141 Gallery: An art space that promotes contemporary art through exhibitions, workshops, and cultural events, supporting emerging talents.
Olivia Foundation: A contemporary exhibition space in Roma showcasing the Olivia Collection, focused on abstract art from the postwar period to today next to other artists experimenting with abstraction.
Oscar Román Gallery: Established in 1991, the gallery specializes in modern and contemporary Mexican art, representing both renowned and emerging artists.
Pablo Goebel Fine Arts: With over 25 years of experience, this gallery presents modern and contemporary art with an emphasis on Mexican and Latin American masters.
Peana Gallery: An art platform and gallery that collaborates with emerging and established artists, offering curated exhibitions and projects on contemporary practices.
Proyecto N.A.S.A.L: An experimental project space exploring the intersections of sound, performance, and visual culture with a focus on process and collaboration.
Proyecto Paralelo Gallery: Emphasizing collaborative projects and experimental exhibitions, the gallery supports local and international artists.
Saenger Gallery: A contemporary art gallery fostering dialogue between emerging and established artists, offering a space for close, thoughtful encounters with current artistic practices.
Soumaya Museum: A museum housing the Soumaya Foundation’s vast private collection, spanning European Old Masters to modern Mexican icons—ideal for discovering unexpected dialogues.
Spark Studio: A creative and cultural center offering craft and art workshops imparted by artists.
Taller Cristina Torres: An art studio and gallery space where Mexican artist Cristina Torres creates abstract art paintings and invites other artists to experiment with abstraction.
Terreno Baldío Gallery: A contemporary art gallery focusing on site-specific works and interdisciplinary projects, engaging with social and environmental issues.
Third Born Gallery: A newly opened space dedicated to contemporary practices, highlighting emerging talents and experimental works across various media.
Tinta Naranja Gallery: Dedicated to contemporary illustration and graphic arts, Tinta Naranja features emerging illustrators and designers.
Zona de Riesgo Art: A space for experimentation and research, focusing on the intersection of art, archives, and error as methodologies for creation.
But there’s more.
Ontiveros is now organizing venues across the country.
So, for example, Carla Negrete Gallery in Tequisquiapan, Querétaro, will participate and the private university Tecnológico de Monterrey will be involved, with participation from the Monterrey and Saltillo campuses through their Punto Blanco initiative, which aims to create accessible spaces for the community, fostering reflection, self-discovery, and spiritual growth.
We at Slow Art Day HQ are excited to welcome Constanza Ontiveros Valdés, Mexico City, and Mexico as a whole, to our 15th annual global celebration.
– Phyl
P.S. Slow Art Day 2025 is coming up on April 5. If you have not done so, please register your museum, gallery, church, sculpture park or movie theater here: https://www.slowartday.com/be-a-host/.
P.P.S. Here’s the poster Ontiveros created for Slow Art Day 2025.
