Slow Art Day 2021
April 10
All day
Most viewers spend an average of 3–10 seconds looking at an artwork. With this Slow Art exercise, you are invited to spend five minutes focusing on each piece of art. Slowing down will allow you to discover how and what a work of art communicates to YOU. Slow Art Day is a global event with a simple mission: help more people discover for themselves the joy of looking at and loving art.
Here are some tips on slowing down your looking experience:
- Set the timer on your phone to be sure you are looking for three to five minutes.
- Use a stool or bench to sit and relax.
- Take a few deep breaths before you begin.
- Allow yourself to notice and wonder about the work – don’t rush to interpretation.
- Pay attention to the internal dialogue between you and the work of art.
- Suspend your judgment.
- Think of the work of art as being time-based, as if you were listening to a piece of music. Let the work unfold over the period of time you are with it.
- Think of the piece of art as a new person you are getting acquainted with.
- Notice what feelings and memories are evoked.
- Give the piece your full attention and allow yourself to lose track of time.
MAM staff would love to hear about your experience! Post on Instagram and tag us @missoulaartmuseum using the hashtag #slowartday.
Here are some suggested artworks to view, but of course the Slow Art strategy can be applied to any artwork you find today or any day!
On view in the lobby: George Longfish (Seneca and Tuscarora), Modern Times, lithograph, 1994, MAM Contemporary American Indian Art Collection, gift of Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, copyright the artist, 2006.16.
On view in the Lynda M. Frost Gallery for Contemporary American Indian Art. Nicholas Galanin (Tlingit), MAM installation view of I Think it Goes Like This (Gold), photo by Slikati Photography.