For their 7th Slow Art Day 2025, Sint Pauluskerk (St Paul’s Church) in Antwerp, Belgium offered a rare viewing experience as two masterpieces of the Flemish community were presented side by side for the first time in four hundred years. The Flagellation by Peter Paul Rubens and The Carrying of the Cross by Anthony van Dyck were temporarily displayed at eye level due to partial restoration work in the church.
Normally installed approximately four meters high, the paintings’ lowered placement allowed Slow Art Day participants to examine details that are usually difficult to see. Visitors were invited to spend time closely observing both works and share their observations and questions during guided discussion with the three guides who were present, Regina, Stéphane, and Armand.
Sint Pauluskerk has been a pioneering leader in the church wing of the Slow Art Day movement, and their continued involvement has helped demonstrate how churches and other religious organizations can become powerful spaces for slow looking.
We thank the wonderful Armand Storck and the team at St Paul’s Church for making this exceptional viewing opportunity possible and for supporting Slow Art Day 2025. We look forward to seeing what they come up with for Slow Art Day 2026.
– Ashley, Johanna, Jessica Jane, and Phyl