The movement toward approaching life more slowly and intentionally has been growing for the past few years. Slow Art Day, which started in 2010 and takes place each April, is one successful example. More than fifteen hundred museums and galleries have participated over the years, including the Georgia Museum of Art.
The Slow Art Day website quotes Henry David Thoreau as saying It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.
When people look slowly at a piece of art they make discoveries, including the fact that they can see and experience art without an expert or expertise. Slowing down helps us see more and brings with it the joy of discovering more. It sounds boring, but the result is transformative. Slow looking is an inclusive method because you don’t need to know anything before you practice it. All you need is a willingness to slow down, look and breathe. Most people look at a work of art for fifteen to thirty seconds. What would you see if you found a seat and patiently looked for two minutes….? Or five….? Or ten?
You can participate in Slow Art Day no matter where you are this April fifteenth. In Athens, that day also brings the annual spring scrimmage for the UGA football team this year, but there’s no reason you can’t do both. Just find some art and practice your slow looking. Visit the museum’s website for information on Slow Art Day activities and the Slow Art Day website to find other opportunities near you.
