A visit to a museum or art gallery can sometimes be an overwhelming experience. With so many works on display, trying to see everything can feel like a race against the clock. Studies have found that visitors to art galleries spend an average of eight seconds looking at each work on display.
But what happens when we spend five minutes, fifteen minutes, an hour or an afternoon really looking in detail at an artwork? This is 'slow looking'. It is an approach based on the idea that, if we really want to get to know a work of art, we need to spend time with it.
Slow looking is not about curators, historians or even artists telling you how you should look at art. It's about you and the artwork, allowing yourself time to make your own discoveries and form a more personal connection with it.
Remember, it's not rude to stare at art.
How Long Should I Spend Looking?
It's up to you. We recommend 10 minutes, but you could try five minutes, half an hour, or even longer. You will be surprised by what you will get out of even two minutes spent slow looking. To keep track of time, set a quiet timer on your phone or try simply counting a number of breaths.
A Few Tips:
Make Yourself Comfortable. Find a place, bench, stool or space on the floor that gives you a good view of the work. Feel free to stand or move around the artwork, to explore different perspectives.
Don't worry if nothing comes to mind at first. Be patient. Try focusing your attention on a particular detail. Try to forget any expectations, as well as anything you 'know' about the artwork. Keep an open mind. If you are still struggling, consider one of the following themes as an entry point: texture, colour, shape, symbols, story, perspective.
Trust in your own authority and intuition. Pay attention to your first impressions. Don’t underestimate the reason why you were drawn to the work in the first place.
Let your eyes wander. Your mind will try and make connections between elements of the work. These connections might be intended by the artist, or unique to you. It doesn’t matter, both are valid. See things from a fresh perspective. Make the familiar strange. Try and spot the details hiding in plain view.
Be aware of your surroundings. Don’t try too hard to shut out what is going on around you. Don’t be put off by those squeaky shoes or the sound of visitors chatting, this is part of the fun of slow looking.
How do you feel? Pay attention to how your mind and body respond. This might be in a subtle way. Does the art help you feel calm, does it irritate you, excite you? Does it trigger any memories?
Share your findings. How do you feel about this artwork now you have studied it in detail? Try and summarise your thoughts. This could be in your head, with your friends, or with the strangers looking at the artwork with you.
Look again. Try a different artwork, the same artwork, straight away, after a coffee break, on a different day. How does it look in other conditions: on a rainy day, on a bad hair day, on your birthday?
