International Slow Art Day was this Saturday 6th April. This year 175 galleries and museums were registered internationally, yet none were registered for Berlin.
So, ever a lover of slow art, I hosted an unofficial event with thanks to the Robert Morat Gallery on Linienstrasse in Berlin.
The basic premise of slow art day is very simple, you look at art, slowly. The organizers recommend five artworks for 5-10 minutes each with a discussion afterwards.
For our slow art viewing, our intrepid group of art lovers had the pleasure of viewing five photographs by Hans-Christian Schmink from his series Hinterland.
These images are already quiet. Not anything like a wild Kandinsky painting, they invite us to be reflective, quiet with them. Shot over the last Autumn and Winter in remote areas of Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Verpommern, they hold the melancholic and desolate feelings associated with those seasons.
When people look slowly at a piece of art they make discoveries. About the art, and about themselves.
Time with Schmink’s images is time well spent. We find small hidden details that add to the story image and we gather an increased appreciation of the composition and mood of the images.
An image of a barren field proved to be one of the most fruitful images for our slow art viewing. Many participants remarked on the feelings it gave them, how the lines in the field appealed to them in various ways or how the white clouds of the sky calmed them.
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.”
You don’t need to wait until Slow Art Day happens to enjoy art slowly. Try it next time you’re in a gallery or museum. Challenge yourself to spend twice or three times longer with an image, or set a (quiet) timer to keep you steady.
There is often a feeling in museums that you have to look at ‘everything’. Why not look at just a few pieces instead? Spend quality time with an artwork that grabs your attention. It will be time better spent.
I’m looking forward to doing free events like this more often.
If you’re in Berlin and would like to come along you can subscribe to the mailing list, or join on Meetup.
****
Photo above is my own, to see Schink’s beautiful work, please visit the Robert Morat Gallery website.
For more about Slow Art Day, visit their website.