Author Archives: Johanna Bokedal

Meditation and Frozen Paint in Gothenburg

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For their 5th Slow Art Day, the Gothenburg Museum of Art in Gothenburg, Sweden, hosted two events:

  • A guided meditation with artist and yoga instructor Pernilla Ljungqvist in front of the artwork “Höstafton, Nordingrå” by Helmer Osslund (1866 – 1938) – adults and teens were invited to join this one.
  • Slow looking and drawing workshop consisting of two parts: one in the Museum collection where they practiced slow looking exercises, and another in the Museum studio where they created their own artwork – this was a children’s workshop.
Slow Art Day participants in front of “Höstafton, Nordingrå” by Helmer Osslund (1866 – 1938). Photographer: Linda Noreen. Photo courtsey of Gothenburg Museum of Art.
“Höstafton, Nordingrå” by Helmer Osslund (1866 – 1938). Photographer: Hossein Sehat Lou. Photo courtsey of Gothenburg Museum of Art.

For the first activity, Pernilla, the meditation instructor, invited participants to look slowly at the artwork “Höstafton, Nordingrå.” Next, they relaxed into a comfortable position on a mat in front of the work as Pernilla guided them through simple motions and exercises while looking slowly at the painting.

Slow Art Day participants meditating in front of “Höstafton, Nordingrå” by Helmer Osslund (1866 – 1938). Photographer: Linda Noreen. Photo courtsey of Gothenburg Museum of Art.

During the children’s workshop, the kids looked at three artworks using different slow looking techniques focused on noticing new details in each. During the second half of the session, they were invited to paint with frozen colors on watercolor paper (again, this was done in the museum studio). The goal was to use a tactile material, which could activate several senses and emotions *and* in which the concept of time was present in the material itself. Frozen paint to illustrate time and slowness – how cool!

Slow Art Day workshop participant in the act of painting. Photographer: Jonna Kihlsten.
Slow Art Day workshop supplies: frozen paint. Photographer: Jonna Kihlsten.
Slow Art Day workshop participant in front of their artwork. Photographer: Jonna Kihlsten.

At Slow Art Day HQ we love the idea of using frozen paint in a workshop studio for kids (and hey – us adults would enjoy that too) while running a guided meditation for adults.

For readers not familiar with Gothenburg, it is the second largest city in Sweden situated on the west coast near the Kattegat. The city was built on marshy land and the layout of the city was inspired by Dutch cities like Amsterdam.

The Gothenburg Museum itself is the third largest in Sweden and hosts a collection of 19th century Nordic art as well as a range of modern, contemporary, and older works.

We appreciate the museum’s decision both to offer different events for kids and adults and the way they designed each of those sessions. We eagerly look forward to whatever they come up with for Slow Art Day 2025.

-Johanna, Ashley, Jessica Jane, and Phyl

P.S. Stay up to date with events at Gothenburg Museum of Art via their Facebook or Instagram.


“Empty Space” Slow Looking at PKULTRA in Seattle

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For their third Slow Art Day, the art gallery PKULTRA, in Seattle, WA, invited visitors to experience an installation by gallery owner, Paul Kuniholm, titled “Project Urban Penthouse.”

“Project Urban Penthouse” by Paul Kuniholm.

The installation was an empty space above an exhibition venue for the specific purpose of, in Paul Kuniholm’s words, “void intervention: an encapsulation of nothingness for nothingness’ sake.” Said another way, it’s an intentional use of space for nothing.

Kuniholm is a fourth-generation Seattle-based public artist of Swedish descent who works in sculpture, video, mural art, time-based work, as well as digital and binary art (which was the focus of PKULTRA’s Slow Art Day event last year).

Visitors to the gallery were invited to look slowly at Project Urban Penthouse.

To look at “nothing”, in a fast-paced, tech-based, and materialistic culture, is an interesting provocation to the idea that everything must have a purpose.

At its radical core, slow looking, like art in general, is also purposeless in the sense that it’s best when it’s not a transaction, but rather seen as something valuable in and of itself, without recourse to justification.

Thus, we at Slow Art Day HQ like Kuniholm’s provocation and look forward to what interesting exhibit he creates for Slow Art Day 2025.

– Johanna, Ashley, Jessica Jane, and Phyl


P.S. for other installation artworks by Kuniholm, you can view his installation artwork exhibition with Julian Weber Architects. You can also check out the Instagram accounts for artist Paul Kuniholm as well as Art Gallery PKULTRA.

Seventh Slow Art Day in Belmont, NC

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While Slow Art Day is often held in large or regional museums, we also love to celebrate when smaller towns and studios join together to host slow looking.

As such, we’re happy to report that Belmont, NC, a small city of about 10,000 people, held their 7th Slow Art Day in April 2024.

To make it happen The Downtown Belmont Development Association in Belmont, NC, partnered with longtime host and local art center, Art by J Studios, which designed an event to focus on four local artists:

  • Kathi Graves
  • Bae Hart
  • Carol Stowe
  • James Norman

Below is their innovative and fun flyer (feel free to copy).

Slow Art Day flier with profiles of the four featured artists

Both the morning and afternoon sessions were held at Art by J, a children’s art school, which is housed in an old mill down the hall from renowned artist Juan Logan.

Slow Art Day participants at one of the two sessions at Art by J.
Participants engaging in slow looking.
Writing and reflecting during one of the Slow Art Day sessions.

On Slow Art Day, guests were greeted by Jeaniene Dibble, the owner of Art by J, who gave them a Slow Art Day pin (we don’t have a photo of the pin – though we are sure we’d want it!) to wear that she had designed, and handed them a clipboard with paper and a pencil. Normally a chaotic environment with students and classes running, on Slow Art Day the school was serene and contemplative. 

Guests looked slowly at each artwork for 10 minutes and used their clipboards to write down inspirations and answers to prompts that they were given. Next, they engaged in a discussion with three of the artists, Kathi Graves, Carol Stowe, and James Norman, who answered questions and discussed the participants’ thoughts and impressions. Pastries, donuts, and water were also provided.

Amy Bossard, the Design Committee Chair at the Downtown Belmont Development Association, reported that guests and artists were so engaged with each other they could have gone on talking all day long (we hear this all the time and witness it ourselves when we run slow looking events).

Both sessions were very well received, and the Downtown Belmont Development Association and Art by J already look forward to Slow Art Day 2025.

– Johanna, Ashley, Jessica Jane, and Phyl

BYU Museum of Art Engages All Ages for their 4th Slow Art Day

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For their fourth Slow Art Day, Brigham Young University (BYU) Museum of Art invited visitors to look slowly at the following four artworks from the temporary exhibition Spain and the Hispanic World: Treasures from the Hispanic Society Museum & Library:

  • Miguel Alcañiz, “Ascension Panel from the Altarpiece of St. Vincent and St. Giles,” 1422-30  
  • Unknown Colombian Artist, “Portable Writing Desk,” ca. 1684
  • Fray Alonso López de Herrera, “Virgin of the Immaculate Conception,” 1640
    Painted on an engraved copper plate and displayed in a free-standing manner, allowing the visitor to explore the back of the painting.
  • Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida, Sketch for “Visions of Spain,” 1912-13
    Adjacent to a television monitor showing a slow-moving panoramic view of the finished painting.

Visitors were greeted at the entrance of the exhibition by a museum educator who explained the premise of Slow Art Day, and invited them to look slowly at the four works (which were chosen by staff for their visual complexity). Each piece was accompanied by a temporary label with slow-looking prompts that were intended to help viewers be more intentional in their experience with each artwork (see example below). At the end of the visit, the museum educator prompted participants to share something they noticed or experienced by slowing down with the artworks.

Entrance to the Hispanic World exhibition on Slow Art Day, 2024
Temporary label with slow looking prompt next to the “Virgin of the Immaculate Conception” for Slow Art Day
Fray Alonso López de Herrera, “Virgin of the Immaculate Conception,” 1640 (painted on an engraved copper plate and displayed in a free-standing manner, allowing the visitor to explore the back of the painting)  
Unknown Colombian Artist, “Portable Writing Desk,” ca. 1684

In total, there were 118 participants, and the hosts gave each of them a small gift as a thank you: kaleidoscopes were offered to children, and adults had the choice between a museum pin or sticker.

The event was a success, and several participants left positive feedback:

“I liked looking at the works from different angles. I wouldn’t have realized there was something on the back of the painting (Virgin of the Immaculate Conception) if I hadn’t moved around it.” (Adult visitor)

“I really liked the box (Portable Writing Desk). It had a lot of interesting designs on it.” (7 year-old child)

“It was so cool to see the big sketch (Sorolla) next to the finished painting on the TV.” (12 year-old visitor)

“I loved the idea of slowing down and appreciating the beauty around you – not just in the museum, but in life.” (Adult visitor with children)

At Slow Art Day HQ, we love that participants got a small gift for taking part in slowing down. It is also great to see Slow Art Day events being made available to children as well as adults.

We can’t wait to see what BYU Museum of Art comes up with for Slow Art Day in 2025.

-Johanna, Ashley, Jessica Jane, and Phyl

P.S. Stay up to date with events at the BYU Museum of Art through their social media platforms on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, X, or YouTube by using the handle @byumoa.

Mindfulness and Music in Copenhagen

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For their third Slow Art Day, the Frederiksbergmuseerne in Frederiksberg – a neighborhood of Copenhagen, hosted a slow looking event at Bakkehuset (The Hill House). The Bakkehuset was a gathering place for prominent figures in the Danish Golden Age of art, literature, and philosophy including writers like Hans Christian Andersen. Today, it is one of the four Frederiksbergmuseerne and open to the public.

Bakkehuset interior. Photo: Stuart McIntyre.
Bakkehuset interior. Photo: Stuart McIntyre.

For Slow Art Day, Bakkehuset aimed to use the calming atmosphere of the historical interior of the house as a starting point for slow looking. They began their event by taking visitors on a tour and inviting them to immerse themselves in the atmosphere, and imagine what it might have been like to live, talk, and hang out in the house 200 years ago.

During the tour, they also introduced mindfulness techniques to help participants slow down and sharpen their attention.

Consistent with their theme of immersion, the tour ended with asking participants to listen to Chopin’s raindrop prelude in the garden room of the house. Amazing. We love the idea of weaving music, mindfulness, and slow looking. And, as we write this, we imagine ourselves sitting in Bakkehuset, listening to Chopin and looking slowly at art.

We are already excited for whatever the Frederiksbergsmuseerne come up with for Slow Art Day in 2025.

– Johanna, Ashley, Jessica Jane, and Phyl

P.S. To find out more about Frederiksbergsmuseerne you can visit their Facebook or Instagram.

The National Gallery of Canada Hosts Second Slow Art Day

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On April 13th, Andrea Gumpert, Gallery Educator, and Marie-Pierre Adam, Interpreter-Guide, hosted the National Gallery of Canada’s second Slow Art Day, and reported that it was a resounding success.

The Gallery provided three options for participation this year:
– an in-person guided group experience
– slow-looking “on your own” with provided handout (shown below)
– slow-looking from home using a guided video

And participants were given the option to participate in either French-language or English-language sessions.

For the in-person guided event, hosts Andrea Gumpert and Marie-Pierre Adam greeted participants next to the below Slow Art Day signage in their Great Hall.

The in-person event was divided in two parts (that each of the French and English speaking groups followed).

For Part 1, Andrea led the 13 participants in the English-speaking group to the Indigenous and Canadian later galleries, and Marie-Pierre led the 11 French-speaking participants to the European baroque galleries. They each then invited their participants to select one artwork and spend 10 minutes looking slowly at it. After the 10 minutes, they regrouped and discussed the experience.

Across the two groups, participants commented on how much more they noticed about the art when they gave themselves permission to really spend time with it – a seemingly obvious but nonetheless revelatory experience. Participants also said the group setting was helpful, particularly for the younger attendees (11 and 14 years old.) People also told stories about the works, and contemplated the technical skills behind the art.

For Part II, the English-speaking group moved to the Contemporary galleries while the French-speaking group moved to the later modern galleries. This time Andrea and Marie-Pierre suggested three optional challenges:
1. Spend 15 minutes with one artwork
2. Select a work that you didn’t have an immediate affinity for
3. Draw or write while spending time with the work

They then had a second discussion with each group.

The French-speaking group in the modern gallery appreciated the chance to express themselves on paper; either by drawing or writing their ideas. Some participants expressed that the second round of slow looking was easier – that slow looking felt like a muscle that needs to be warmed up first. One participant who chose a work they would not have normally looked at shared that their slow looking revealed parts of the painting they thought were wonderful after all – and raised many questions around the choices made by the artist at that time in their career.

At the end of the day, participants provided feedback.

Here are two quotes, one from the English-speaking group and one from the French-speaking group (i.e., these are not translations from one to the other – but separate quotes):

The slow art English session was a welcome new approach for me to viewing art. Our guide was
informed and fun, and she explained the process well. I am sure I will use this approach on my own
sometimes at art galleries, and elsewhere. Thank you for offering it — it is a good middle place
between a tour with a guide and a hands-on activity.

Bonjour à toute l’équipe, je profite de ce courriel pour vous remercier pour l’organisation de
l’activité Slow Art de samedi dernier. J’ai une la chance de participer à cet événement en présence
de Marie-Pierre et du groupe pour les personnes francophones. J’ai fait plusieurs apprentissages
dans un environnement paisible et vraiment intéressant ! Merci pour votre dévouement à rendre
l’art accessible et respectueux ! Je vous en suis très reconnaissante ! Je souhaite une longue vie
au Musée des Beaux-Arts du Canada !

We are glad to say that The Gallery is now planning regular slow looking sessions throughout the year (we love that!) as well as participating in Slow Art Day 2025.

– Johanna, Ashley, Jessica Jane, and Phyl

Objects Talk Back at The Gardiner Museum

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For their fifth Slow Art Day, The Gardiner Museum in Toronto, Canada, invited the public to a mindful exploration of the exhibition Magdalene Odundo: A Dialogue with Objects between 11am – 1pm.

Magdalene Odundo: A Dialogue with Objects. Photo: Toni Hafkenscheid
Magdalene Odundo: A Dialogue with Objects. Photo: Jack McCombe

On Slow Art Day, participants were provided with guided activity sheets (see below) designed to facilitate slow looking. The handout prompted participants to think of how the objects were “talking” to them.

Participants were also encouraged to discuss their experiences either with each other, or with Sofia Flores-Ledesma, Education and Program Coordinator, who was available throughout the event.

Participants looking slowly at the exhibition for Slow Art Day 2024. Photo: Sofia Flores-Ledesma.

Below you can see the activity sheet (and feel free to copy any of what they have done there). The downloadable file also includes a few examples of how participants used the sheet to draw and comment.

Slow Art Day 2024_Participant ResponsesDownload

The exhibition was the first and largest collection of Dame Magdalene Odundo’s works presented in North America, showcasing decades of her art. Magdalene Odundo (born 1950) first trained as a graphic artist in her home country of Kenya before moving to the United Kingdom to take a foundation course at the Cambridge School of Art. In 1976, Odundo graduated in Ceramics, Photography and Printmaking from the University for the Creative Arts, Farnham, UK. For more information about Obundo’s work and life, we invite you to look at The Gardiner Museum’s exhibition page.

The Gardiner Museum always hosts beautiful Slow Art Day events, and we look forward to whatever they come up with for Slow Art Day 2025.

– Johanna, Ashley, Jessica Jane, and Phyl

P.S. Stay up to date with events at The Gardiner Museum through their Instagram, X (Twitter), or Facebook.

Meditation at Moderna Museet in Malmö

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For their second Slow Art Day, Moderna Museet in Malmö, Sweden, invited participants to a meditation session within the exhibition “Monica Sjöö – The Great Cosmic Mother.”

Meditation session at Moderna Museet Malmö for Slow Art Day 2024. Photo: Modena Museet

On April 13, 2024, Ana María Bermeo, a certified meditation teacher, artist and museologist, prepared the gallery with floor-cushions and chairs, and the limited spaces quickly filled up with enthusiastic slow lookers.

Bermeo aimed to help participants feel more present in the moment – with the art and themselves – and free themselves from the demands of immediacy. No prior knowledge of slow looking or meditation was needed. She emphasized that slowing down with the art was a way to “get in touch with your inner world,” for which the exhibition of Sjöö’s art was well suited.

For readers not familiar with Sjöö’s work, below is an excerpt from the Exhibition Website (Monica Sjöö: The Great Cosmic Mother):

Monica Sjöö (1938-2005) was an influential feminist artist whose work is part of the alternative spirituality that emerged during the 1970s in opposition to the patriarchy, traditions, and institutional religion. Many of her paintings refer to British ancient cult sites, such as Avebury, and areas that Monica Sjöö made spiritual pilgrimages to and became inspired by.

Monica Sjöö linked many of her ideas to The Great Mother, a figure that is found in many cultures throughout history. For Sjöö, the essence of The Great Mother was present in all phases of life, as an experience that imbues both nature and being. She saw the oppression inflicted on women and minorities, and the exploitation of green areas and the ravaging of nature, as violence against The Great Mother. In this way, her commitment to the women’s movement, environmentalism and her spiritual convictions were related.

At Slow Art Day HQ, we are inspired by the ways in which Sjöö’s background and art highlight important issues, including the socio-cultural position of women, environmental concerns, and spirituality (with and without organized religion).

We can’t wait to see what Moderna Museet in Malmö comes up with for their third Slow Art Day in 2025.

-Johanna, Ashley, Jessica Jane, and Phyl

P.S. And given that one of us is Swedish (Johanna) it’s always wonderful to see how much Sweden’s art world has embraced Slow Art Day.

Mindfulness at the TarraWarra Museum of Art

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For their 4th Slow Art Day, the TarraWarra Museum of Art in Healesville, Australia, organized an interactive mindful workshop where visitors could enjoy the art of relaxation while observing and appreciating art.

The museum’s Learning & Engagement team guided a small group of participants through a 1.5 hour interactive workshop that was comprised of mindful techniques such as automatic journaling, body awareness, breathing and visualizations. The goal was to deepen their connection with their lived experiences and with their relationship with the art on display.

Participant engaging in slow looking. Image Credits: Tourism Australia.

We are happy to see that mindfulness and meditation continue to be a growing part of the global slow looking toolkit.

And given that we are big fans of TarraWarra here at Slow Art Day HQ, we are eager to see what they come up with for Slow Art Day 2025.

P.S. Stay up to date with events at TarraWarra Museum through Instagram and Facebook

– Jessica Jane, Johanna, Ashley, and Phyl

Innovating the Patient-Art Experience at St. Vincent’s Hospital

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Art at St Vincent’s – St Vincent’s Hospital, in Melbourne, Australia, is leading the way in coming up with innovative approaches to slow looking in a hospital environment. This year, they designed six “slow art cards” with photos of works from their St Vincent’s Art Collection – and on the back of each card they printed brief instructions guiding participants in looking slowly at the art featured on the front.

What a great way to bring art, and the art of slow looking, into all the corners of a hospital. We hope that many more hospitals around the world copy St. Vincent’s. Too often, the art in a hospital is not accessible to many patients. To that point, St. Vincent’s distributed the cards broadly to both staff and patients in Pain Management, Pastoral Care, Correctional Services and Palliative Care.

Below is the view of the back side of the card with the instructions:

Below are the front sides of the six cards. Note that the event organizers made sure that the art reflected the diversity of St. Vincent’s hospital community, which is why they included artists from a variety of backgrounds.

Rod McNicol, Maryan, 2010, digital print, St Vincent’s Art Collection.
Chris Delamont, Walu-win Girri (Healthy Future), 2020, oil on canvas.
On loan to St Vincent’s Art Collection
Boman Ali Wakilzada, Songs of Wisdom, 2016, oil on canvas,
St Vincent’s Art Collection
Kevin Todd, Tetouan #4, 2019, acrylic on mdf panels,
St Vincent’s Art Collection.
Artist Unknown, Tarantella Dancers, marquetry inlay, St Vincent’s Art Collection.
Conrad Clark, Asylum, 2016, acrylic on canvas, St Vincent’s Art Collection

At Slow Art Day HQ we are really impressed with the creativity of the staff at St. Vincent’s Hospital. This is a great way to enhance the healing environment and support both patients and staff.

We look forward to many more hospitals around the world copying the ingenuity of the team at St. Vincent’s and can’t wait to see what they come up with for Slow Art Day 2025!

– JJ, Johanna, Ashley, and Phyl