When was the last time that you really stopped and smelled the roses, so to speak? On your last visit to a museum, did you spend more than 30 seconds looking closely at just one piece on display? Did you have your phone in hand, all the while seeing notifications, taking photos or posting content to social media about your experience?
In all likelihood, on your last museum visit you probably didn’t even spend a full 60 seconds to pause, look closely and reflect on the art in front of you. According to recent research about art viewing habits, museum visitors only view a piece of art for 28 seconds, on average. That’s a far cry from the meager 8 seconds researchers say we are apt to view a website or social media post before we lose interest these days, but viewing art, which is often intended as an escape, a leisurely activity or purposeful time for reflection, still only garners a little over 20 seconds more of our time compared to our daily screen habits. It is remarkable that we don’t spend more than half a minute viewing works in a museum despite that being our initial intention and often the sole reason for visiting.
This trend was not lost on Slow Art Day founders when they started the yearly event over a decade ago. With more than 1,500 museums and galleries participating since its inception in 2010, the event challenges us to pull ourselves away from our distractions and view art mindfully. When it began, it was just an experiment:
In June 2008, Phyl Terry, founder of the Reading Odyssey and founder and CEO of Collaborative Gain, held an experiment. They wanted to know what would happen if museum and gallery visitors changed the way they looked at art. Instead of breezing past hundreds of artworks in the standard 8 seconds, Phyl wondered what would happen if people looked slowly at just a few.
Years later, the event’s success has been impactful as a reminder of what we can gain from art if we really stop and let ourselves view works and reflect without distractions or a timer. “When people look slowly at a piece of art they make discoveries. The most important discovery they make is that they can see and experience art without an expert (or expertise),” the event website states. “And that’s an exciting discovery. It unlocks passion and creativity and helps to create more art lovers.”
Held on Saturday, April 15 this year, the Georgia Museum of Art’s Slow Art Day event, from 2-4 p.m., will have local art and yoga teacher Nicole Bechill at the helm of the experience. You may recognize her as one of the members of the local punk band Shehehe (alongside our own talented museum graphic designer Noelle Shuck and Nicole’s husband Jason) and thus be perplexed by her seemingly different endeavors as a musician, yoga instructor and community art teacher. Yoga and punk rock aren’t exactly activities most people would think have any common ground. Bechill, however, is quick to point out that these interests all have one thing in common. They are all “in the moment” experiences.
“The average piece of art in a gallery setting is typically viewed for a few seconds,” she said. “I think there is a richness in staying with a piece of art for longer. Getting to know the work and allowing time [can] be the key that reveals greater depth for the viewer.”
Bechill is an artist in her own right, with a BFA in photography and lifelong interest in art and all things creative. When she’s not teaching yoga at Revolution Therapy and Yoga or the Winterville Community Center, she also teaches a botanical drawing class for beginners and experienced artists alike.
“When making art, I encourage students to allow rest to be a part of the process,” she said. “Take it easy, take a breath, enjoy the present moment and the creative process.” Childhood art education is particularly good at exemplifying the best part of art–creating for the sake of creating. “I am really inspired by the concepts of early childhood art education, when it’s more about the process than the product,” she said. “Why do we have to start making art as a product and lose the fun? At what age does that begin to turn and how can we be more playful as adult creators?”
Creating art can be powerful and relaxing, much like yoga and meditation, but the latter activities aren’t always everyone’s cup of tea. “Mindfulness, self care and rest were not as widely discussed [when I first took an interest in them] as they are now,” she said, noting how far we’ve come in learning how to help care for ourselves in a variety of ways.
”A few years ago, I began deeply thinking about the need for an art class that was well-being based,” she added. That is how my Botanical Sketchbook class I teach in Winterville now was born. It’s artistic, mindful and relaxing. We take breathing breaks, stretch hands and everyone is able to talk and enjoy the creative process together.”The Slow Art Day event at the museum later this month will feature much of the same well-being based practices, she added, and she is looking forward to guiding the slow art experience and meeting new people in the process.
Want to slow down and be a part of the experience? The program is free, but space is limited and registration is required. Want to reserve your spot? Email gmoa-tours@uga.edu. Georgia Museum of Art event details can be found at: https://georgiamuseum.org/event/slow-art-day-2023/ For more information on the event at-large, visit: https://www.slowartday.com/
Yes, we know that this event falls on G-Day but parking by the museum, either in our gated lot or in surface lot E11, remains free and open to the public. We look forward to seeing you for this unique experience.
Authored by:
Jessica Luton
