Author Archives: Phyl Terry

Oceanside – Multi-Sensory Slow Art Day

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The Oceanside Museum of Art in California reports that they had a “wonderful” multi-sensory Slow Art Day 2019.

The museum developed three self-guided stations aimed at slowly engaging multiple senses – designing multi-sensory experiences is a growing trend in the slow art movement (see the webinar we hosted in January 2019).

Slow looking and pairing music with painting

The three self-guided stations they created were:

  1. Partner blind-drawing station in their watercolor exhibition
  2. Storytelling station based around Matthew Barnes: Painter of the Night exhibition
  3. Pairing music with paintings in their surrealism exhibition (photo to the left).

They ran Slow Art Day through the weekend and had many more people participate as a result. In fact, Slow Art Day and the self-guided stations were so successful – led to so much visitor participation – that the curatorial staff has asked that stations remain up longer.

The variety of activities – and the multi-sensory element – really allowed visitors to participate in ways that worked for them and that also added a sense of fun.

Andrea Hart, Director of Education and Public Programs at the Oceanside Museum of Art

Phil

P.S. I’m particularly pleased with this report given that my mother lived in Oceanside for years and ran a clandestine Slow Art Day at this museum with a few friends when we launched a decade ago.

Ulster – 5th Slow Art Day

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At the Ulster Museum, Slow Art Day 2019 guides took visitors through the works of Belfast-born artist Gerard Dillon, the British Vorticist movement, and then finished with a screening and discussion of a video art installation examining the political confusion of Brexit by Cornelia Parker – ‘Left, Right & Centre.’

Slow looking at the Ulster Museum’s 5th annual Slow Art Day event.

The museum reports the event was quite successful – they had both more staff and more public participation than ever before. They were also proud to have their Slow Art Day event featured by the BBC alongside Tate Modern, Ashmolean Museum (Oxford), Photographer’s Gallery, and Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

Because of the success of their Slow Art Day annual events, the Ulster Museum now runs a monthly ‘Slow Art Sunday.’ They also integrate slow looking sessions into nearly all their new art exhibitions.

Thanks to the Slow Art Team for organizing such a brilliant global event – an event that has now become a regular and important part of our programming.

Charlotte McReynolds, Art Curator, National Museums Northern Ireland

Phil

Tate Modern Slow Art Day 2019: ‘Fantastic’

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According to the visitor experience team at Tate Modern, Slow Art Day 2019 was “fantastic.”

Participants slowly looking at The Snail by Henri Matisse

They organized two one-hour slow looking sessions split between two artworks and, then, after the sessions, the team invited the visitors to come together for tea, coffee, biscuits, and a discussion about the whole experience.

Here’s what some of the participants said:

“A really interesting session. I’m more mindful of how to observe art in the future.”

“What a wonderful idea!

“I understand now how you can spend so much time in a gallery looking at art!”

“The combination of looking at art slowly and with other people is a real eye opener.”

“Really like the concept. As someone who can feel a bit intimidated by the art world this felt like a really nice way in and gives me more confidence to engage with art in the future.”

“A brilliant concept, lovely to think that this is going on all around the world.”

“I will definitely bring friends next time. Do it again!”

“I felt like a part of a group/community and was an hour well spent.”

“We can’t wait for next year to do it again,” said Adriana Oliveira, Visitor Experience Manager there at Tate Modern.

Phil

Virginia MOCA Slow Art Day 2019

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The Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art focused on key pieces in the exhibit, The Rest of History, which explores groups (minorities, women, etc.) that have been underrepresented in history. Slow Art Day also coincided with Military Family Appreciation Day at VirginiaMOCA so a number of families came and did slow looking together.

I never would have spent the time to look at these pieces and make the type of connections I did without this event.

– PARTICIPANT (A MOTHER OF A FAMILY OF FOUR)

Looking at oil on Mylar portraits from Charles Edward Williams. Photo copyright Jim Setzer.

Phil

Slow Art Day in Rural Basque Country

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Slow Art Day 2019 this year was celebrated in hundreds of museums and galleries from The Rubin Museum in NYC, to the Tate Modern in London, to a small museum in the rural Basque countryside, the Ur Mara Museoa.

Ur Mara Museoa Slow Art Day 2019

Elena Cajaraville sent us this lovely 60 second video, which shows the Ur Mara’s slow and long day filled with art, food, music, and dance.

Watch it.

I guarantee it will put you in a good mood and show you some of the magic of this global/local Slow Art Day phenomenon.

Phil

Shanghai Slow Art Day 2019 ‘fascinating, thoughtful…’

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Shanghai was one of the first Slow Art Day 2019 events to kickoff. We received their report at 4am NYC time (4pm Shanghai time).

Joan Lueth, a longtime host and art teacher in Shanghai, said, “The work of artist Yang YuanYuan engaged viewers with visual inquiries into the question ‘where is home?”

The event was “fascinating, thought-provoking and well-received.”

More reports coming soon including a few photos from my reprise of the first Slow Art Day in 2009 at MoMA in NYC.

Phil

Slow Art Day is today!

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Slow Art Day events are happening all over the world from Shanghai to São Paulo, from Boston to Belgium, from Helsinki to Honolulu, and many other places.

I’m returning to MoMA in NYC, the site of the first Slow Art Day test in the spring of 2009.

I’ll be posting reports and write-ups from all over the world in the coming weeks.

Have a good and slow day filled with art.

– Phil

BBC News: Slow Art? It will ‘blow your mind’

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BBC News just posted a feature article on Slow Art Day 2019 featuring us and some of our good friends like Susan Moore, art critic and founder of the Slow Art Workshop.

Read the article here.

Have a slow and wonderful day tomorrow all over the world from Hong Kong to Hawaii, from London to Los Angeles.

See all the museums and galleries participating here (and there are more than we even have listed on the site today).

– Phil

Slow Art Day 2019 is Saturday!

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Excitement is mounting around the world for the 10th annual International Slow Art Day.

Here’s just some of the press coverage this week:

The Art Newspaper (London and NY) – Relax and immerse yourself… the art of experiencing museums slowly

Artnet News – The Average Person Spends 27 Seconds Looking at a Work of Art

Tricycle (U.S. Buddhist Magazine) – Take Your Time (Back) with Slow Art Day

The Blade (Dayton, OH) – Museum of Art finds its ‘Rhythm’ with installation

There are many local stories around the world. We’ll post a few of those over the next few days.

Most importantly, wherever you are, plan to go look slowly at some art this weekend.

I’ll be at MoMA in NY where I ran the first Slow Art day in 2009.

Best,

Phil
Founder, Slow Art Day

Creating a Multisensory Gallery Experience

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As museum educators, many of Slow Art Day’s hosts are looking to create a space where visitors can engage with artworks in new ways.

During this webinar led by Sara Birkofer from the Cincinnati Museum of Art on Feb 26, 2019, we explored multisensory experiences.

Birkofer discussed engaging visitors using scents, music, touchable objects and food in the galleries.

Watch the video of the webinar above, or view Birkofer’s powerpoint.