How successful can Slow Art Day be? Two of our 2014 hosts, Catherine and Jilda, reflect on their experimental event in immersive engagement – digitally and by non-traditional museum audiences.
Catherine and Jilda document key moments and behind the scenes insight for their National Museum of Australia event.
In the discussion portion, the group marveled at the connections they found between the works.
To read more about their event, click here.
– Karen
In need of some great DIY activities for the kids this summer?
Take inspiration from our 2014 host The Georgia Museum of Art’s Slow Art Family Day!
– Rachel & Karen
Christine Campana from the Art Gallery of Algoma wrote a great summary of her Slow Art Day experience from just over a month ago:
Walking through the Art Gallery of Algoma during Slow Art Day leisurely examining 5 pieces of art was a worthwhile experience; not only was I given the chance to really pay attention to aspects of the works that I had previously not taken the time to truly appreciate, but the experience allowed me to converse with others and discover their interpretations.
The Art Gallery of Algoma put together a handout with photographs and descriptions of the pieces chosen. The pieces were picked by 5 different locals, ranging from artists, to art advocates, to novices, who each discovered something new by engaging with the pieces for longer periods of time than they normally would have.
Regarding the Tom Benner fibreglass, paint, leather, and mixed media piece titled “African Wild Asses,” Teddy Syrette explained in his description that he chose the piece because “it is almost like it’s a grouping of animals, they’re trying to get some place better . . .They’re all different but all collective.” As I stood at different points around the piece with various participants, it definitely became clear in how many ways this piece could be seen.
With a shorter look at the piece, one participant revealed that she found the similarities of five synthetic animals moving in the same direction to be almost unnatural, while through a longer period of observation, another participant began to notice the differences in the animals and began to assign them their roles in the pack. She also began to see a slight shift in the direction of one of the sculptures that suggested they were starting to veer off course. Her creation of a story where each of five very similar animals had a particular character based on their visual features was only possible by really taking the time to notice these distinctions.
While “African Wild Asses” was analyzed through observing the animals carefully, “A Landscape” was enjoyed thoughtfully looking up at the piece from the floor. The arts advocate who had chosen the piece stated that she had done so because the large sphere, the focal point of the piece, “draws me in.” The wood and copper work included a total of three pieces, but, as the participant who had chosen the piece also felt, people could not help but be absorbed and overwhelmed by the immensity and beauty of the copper orb.
While hints of colour were visible within the oxidized copper of “A Landscape”, colour was far more pronounced in Gabriela Benitez’ “Rojo y Blanco.” In mine as well as others’ opinions, the vivid greens and reds overlaid with white chaotic lines released emotion which was only multiplied the longer the work was viewed.
Each of these pieces as well as the other works chosen, including a multimedia piece by Cheryl L’Hirondelle and another sculpture by Tom Benner, gave me the chance to pose and answer questions and see art from new (and many more) angles. As I walked through the gallery, I was certainly able to appreciate the value of looking at art slowly and engaging with others to discover some amazing insights I never would have thought of on my own. Taking my time with art was a positive and rewarding experience, however, I was not so successful with the food; I had a hard time treating the slow lunch served after with the same patience–it was just too delicious!
– Rachel
A note from di Rosa host Michael F McCauley:
Slow Art Day 2014 at the di Rosa (Napa, CA: www.dirosaart.org) was the second year we participated. Again this year, the group of participants was intimate – all the better to share observations. And again I was the docent/guide for our slow art lookers. I chose a mix of mediums – two sculptures, two works on paper, and one painting. After viewing these works, we had a picnic lunch on property – the day was sunny and mild — and we discussed what we had seen, including whatever surprise element we had noticed by looking slowly. Given those basics, we’re now thinking about customizing our approach for next year. The recommended 10 minutes of slow looking without discussing seems too long. Next year, we’ll likely spend 7 minutes looking and 3 minutes discussing at each work. We’ll lunch and chat about what we saw, as we did this year. But because it is difficult to recall specifics about each work, after lunch we’ll return to the galleries for an additional viewing of each work. This will reinforce the discussion and likely open up new insights based on everyone’s observations. We’ll still follow the basic structure of Slow Art Day, but alter it to accommodate our somewhat unique situation. (Visitors to the di Rosa Collection may not return to the galleries without a docent/guide.) We’re looking forward to next year and hope to include more participants.
Greetings from Richmond, VA, USA
Hello fellow hosts,
The Museum of Paleontology and Palaeontology Maglie (Lecce, Italy) will host “The Origin of Art” Saturday, April 12.
I am hosting this event because I firmly believe that we must understand the art from its origins, from the times when the basic need of man to communicate. The understanding of this concept requires slow pace to overcome the aesthetic idea of works of art, to discover the values and the deepest needs of the soul.
If you are in Salento (Puglia), do not hesitate to connect with us! Good luck to all of you for your respective goals Days of Art on Saturday.
– Dr Medica Assunta Orlando
Sign up to participate in this event here.
View the humorous promotional video for our Greensburg, PA event below!
And don’t forget to sign up to participate here.
Stick It To the TOM on Slow Art Day!
That which is not worth contemplating in life, is not worth recreating in art. Ayn Rand, author
On April 12th“Stick it to the TOM on Slow Art Day” visitors will be provided with post it notes and pencils and we’ll be asking you to write down your responses to the works on view and let us know what you think of them. Following the model set up in the Convergence and Look What We Have! exhibitions, these responses will be posted on the walls next to the artworks so that other people can read and discover what moved/inspired/challenged/
We will also be offering a virtual platform for those who cannot physically visit the TOM on April 12th. On that day we will be posting images from our collection and inviting people to “Stick it to the TOM on Slow Art Day” by posting their responses to the images on our Facebook page. We’ll be tweeting some of the post it note responses on our Twitter page with the hashtags #StickItToTheTOM and #SlowArtDay if you want to follow the dialogue there as well.
The TOM is a regional art centre and INTERNATIONAL cultural attraction dedicated to the innovative spirit of landscape artist and Canadian icon, Tom Thomson. The TOM celebrates excellence in the visual arts locally, nationally and internationally, through exhibitions of historical and contemporary art, education programs and the enrichment and interpretation of its significant permanent collection. We have one of the largest collections of Tom Thomson’s work (74 pieces including artifacts), over 90 pieces by the Group of Seven, 42 pieces by world renowned photographer Edward Burtynsky as well as work by Emily Carr, John Hartman and a substantial collection of work by women and First Nation artists. We look to engage our immediate and broader audience in meaningful ways through our exhibitions and onsite and offsite programs. The TOM is the region’s main disseminator of contemporary art. Through excellent exhibitions, publications, and engaging social media platforms and education programs, the Gallery provides a unique experience for its audiences.
So on April 12, come down to the Gallery or visit us online and tell us what you think!
Admission to the TOM is by donation.
There’s always something going on at the TOM!
– Leanne Wright
Sign up for this event here.
Dear fellow-hosts,
dear Slow Art Day-coordination department ;),
cordial greetings from Cologne, where I’m happy to arrange a Slow Art-venue for the second time.
After coming to know Slow Art-movement last year and ‘putting together’ spontaneously a small event in a museum during two weeks, I started my promotion earlier this time, counting 12 participants for now (which is actually completely enough…).
Slow Art Day is accidently falling together with Cologne Art Fair, a quiet meaningful art-event which fills the city and all ‘important’ art-institutions up with art-lovers.
As a counterpoint I decided to invite the Slow Art-group to the studio of an artist, I’m representing in my art-agency: Ulrike Heidkamp. Her works deserve any attention possible and pay back with as well asthetically valuable and touching impressions. (Thus witnessing the vitality of representational painting – if you are interested in taking a look at some of Ulrike Heidkamps paintings klick here .)
I consider the setting as corresponding to the ‘less is more’-approach. The event offers – after Ulrike being a very secluded artist – a rare opportunity to take an intense look at her paintings in the privacy of her studio.
Besides, the studio is placed in the biggest german studio-building under residents’ self-administration, with lots of cultural activities taking place regularly. By the way Slow-Art-Day-participants will gain insight into Cologne’s cultural ‘off’-scene.
I don’t know, what it’s like at your places, dear fellow-hosts – here, in Cologne, western Germany, spring is just arriving powerfully, sun sending it’s first really warm rays, birds singing out loud, everything blossoming and greening – very fitting athmosphere to take in some fresh art-impressions and exchange with others on the experience – so I have totally optimistic expectations about the event!
I wish you all the best and even if it may appear stale… THANKS incredibly lot to the Slow Art Day-Team for keeping the fire burning and doing a great organizational job for all, who participate in one way or the other in Slow Art Day 2014!
– Sabine Klement
Sign up to participate in this event here.