Claire Bown: Hello and welcome to The Art Engager podcast with me, Claire Bown.
I'm here to share techniques and tools to help you engage with your audience
and bring art objects and ideas to life.
So let's dive into this week's show.
Hello, and welcome to a new episode of The Art Engager.
I'm Claire Bown, and today I'm creating the ultimate guide to
slow looking, everything you need to understand it, practice it,
and implement it in your work.
But before that last week, we celebrated our 150th episode by sharing 10
powerful engagement ideas drawn from across our entire podcast archive.
It was wonderful to look back and highlight some of the key insights that
have emerged over the last four years.
So if you missed it, do go back and listen to episode 1 5 0 for some big ideas.
And before we dive into today's show, I also want to mention my book, The
Art Engager, which explores many of the concepts, ideas, and themes
we discuss on this very podcast.
You can find it on Amazon and other major retailers worldwide.
Now let's get on with today's show.
Over the past four years, we've explored slow looking in 20 different episodes,
making it our most discussed topic.
So today I'm taking you on a curated journey through all of these episodes,
creating a roadmap, drawing threads together, if you will, that you
could use to understand and implement slow looking in your personal
practice and your professional work.
So whether you are new to slow looking or you want to deepen your
existing practice, this guide will
point you to the most valuable episodes from our back catalog and and also
helpfully save you from having to search through 150 episodes to find the gems.
So let's start with the fundamentals.
As I define it, slow looking is a practice mindset and approach involving the study
of something with intention and attention.
So it's not simply the amount of time you spend with something -although our
aim is always to try and look longer than we normally would than our first
glances- it's much more about the quality of our attention, rather than spending
huge amounts of time with something.
But there's a lot more to unpack.
So start here, episode two.
What is slow looking and how can I get started?
So this remains our most popular episode of all time and for good reason.
At its heart is one of my core beliefs that engagement starts with slow looking.
It's really been the secret to the most engaging discussions
I facilitated in the museum.
So this episode covers all of the fundamentals, things like how long
to look, so start with three to five minutes, what to look at, anything,
whether to do it alone or with others, both are good, both have benefits,
and it addresses common questions about things like whether it needs
to include mindfulness or meditation.
The answer is it can, but it doesn't have to.
So episode two is from 2021, and my thinking has evolved somewhat
since then, as thinking does.
And I would add that I now think about slow looking in terms of two
general approaches, an introspective approach and an extrospective one.
So an introspective approach involves analyzing something in relation to your
own feelings, experiences, and thoughts.
This is the one that perhaps might include mindfulness and meditation and would lead
to lots of deep personal connections.
An extrospective approach.
On the other hand, explores meanings, possibilities, and interpretation,
and potentially might focus more on the artist, the maker, the historical
context, or other layers of meaning.
So you may find that you naturally lean more towards one approach or the other,
although of course, both approaches can be present in one slow looking experience.
If you are looking to define what slow looking means to you, either as a
facilitator or as a museum, this is a good place to start thinking about it.
So this episode: number two, what is slow looking and how can I get
started, is your starting point.
So once you understand what slow looking is the next step is making
it a regular part of your life.
So listen next to episode seven, how to develop a daily slow looking practice.
So this episode walks you through the practical steps of developing
your own daily practice with art and objects and nature.
And the idea behind this episode is that if we are better at slow looking
ourselves , then we are in a far better position to guide others through
the process of slow looking too.
So episode seven walks you through the practical steps of
developing your own daily practice.
It helps you to build that observational muscle so that slow looking becomes
something that feels very natural to you.
And to help you develop your personal practice.
I also have three episodes packed with practical activities that
you can do throughout the year.
These are episodes ,1434 and 63.
Don't worry, I will link to everything in the show notes.
And these three episodes have specific actionable activities that you can use to
develop your own slow looking practice.
So if you are keen to get started with slow looking, begin by just practicing
it every day as part of your life.
So try taking a walk, focusing on a particular color, or look at the
view out of your window every day for a few minutes, noticing what's
different and what's the same.
You'll get a far more nuanced understanding of slow
looking by appreciating the benefits for yourself first.
And speaking of benefits, if you want to understand more about why slow
looking matters, then episode 41: 12.
Reasons to get started with slow looking is for you.
So this episode is particularly useful if you are interested in persuading people
to start up a slow looking program.
I explore many benefits in this episode from the importance of developing
observational skills, to how slow looking improves wellbeing, how art triggers
the release of feelgood chemicals.
I also discuss developing patience inspired by Jennifer Roberts famous.
Three hour exercise with Harvard students and how slow looking fosters curiosity.
The episode also emphasizes the fact that everyone can take part in a
slow looking experience as no art historical knowledge is required.
Now while no one seems to know exactly where the term slow looking comes
from, the first time I heard the phrase 'slow art' was in Carl Honoré's book in
Praise of Slow published back in 2004.
So that's over 20 years ago now, and I was lucky enough to have the chance to
speak to Carl directly about his work.
Carl is a bestselling author, broadcaster two time Ted speaker
and voice of the Slow Movement.
And in episode 93, Carl shares his insights on the benefits of slowing
down in every aspect of life.
So our conversation centers around the slow movement and
how slowness can rehumanize us.
In a culture that values speed above everything else.
We also discuss how the slow movement isn't just about slowing
down for its own sake, but it's about reclaiming our humanity in a
culture that treats us like machines.
And importantly, for our purposes, we explored how slow art can be an
antidote to our fast-paced world and how museums are finding ways to create
slow environments, to invite people to engage more deeply with art and objects.
So do check out episode 93.
And another important influence has been phyl terry and Slow Art Day, which have
been hugely influential in bringing slow art and slow looking into the mainstream.
We have several episodes about Slow Art Day, exploring what it
is, how it started, and its impact.
So let's start with episode 46.
What is Slow Art Day?
So this is your primer on this international event that celebrates
looking at art in a different way.
So Slow Art Day, if you don't know, is an annual event that
encourages participants worldwide to look at and discuss art slowly.
It happens every year in April.
This episode explains the basic idea and the format of Slow art day
events, which now happen in hundreds of venues all around the world.
But where did this all start?
So in episode 94, phyl terry, founder of Slow Art Day, shares the origin story,
including the hour long experience with a single painting that started it all.
So our conversation explores how Slow Art Day has evolved over the
years, and also introduces the idea of 'radical inclusivity'.
The idea that anyone can engage with art without prior artistic
knowledge, simply through the act of looking slowly and reflecting.
So from this grassroots beginning, slow Art Day has really taken off
over the years, and we have two great episodes exploring how different
organizations have made it their own.
First in a recent episode, episode 1, 4 6, I talked with Tonia Dhaese and
Armand Storcke about the church-based slow art day movement in Antwerp.
So in that episode, we explore why churches provide ideal settings
for slow looking and how the architecture, lighting and atmosphere
naturally encourage contemplation.
And in episode 1, 2 6, slow looking at the Van Gogh Museum with Harma van
Uffelen, we see how even one of the world's busiest museums can successfully
implement slow looking practices and participate in Slow art day.
So Harma is a curator of education at the Van Goff Museum and she shares how
they developed a slow looking program for their Matthew Wong exhibition.
I think what's particularly valuable about this episode, is that it addresses
the common concern I hear from museums.
"We can't do slow looking because we are too busy".
So the Van Gogh Museum proves it can be done.
So listen to this episode to find out more, and as I said, all of the links.
Will be in the show notes.
Right.
So let's continue.
So we've covered the foundations of slow looking and seen how it's become
a global movement through Slow Art Day.
Now let's get practical.
How do you actually implement slow looking in your educational
programs and guided experiences?
So I have two key episodes that will help you with the nuts and bolts of
making slow looking work in your context.
So first up, episode 82, making space and time for slow looking.
So this is one of my personal favorites because it addresses
the most common concern I hear.
"I don't have time for slow looking".
So in this episode I bust some myths about what slow looking actually.
Is, explain why it's so key to engagement, and I show you how to incorporate it into
any format, guided tours, educational programs, even online sessions.
And I cover three main reasons why it's important to make space and time for
slow looking, and I give you lots of practical strategies for embedding it as
a fundamental part of all your programs.
And the second episode focuses on giving slow looking some structure.
This is episode 1, 3 6.
What are questioning practices?
So why is structure helpful for slow looking?
Well, slow looking can happen quite naturally, but having a
framework behind it makes it more accessible for both facilitators,
that's us, and our participants.
So Questioning Practices are structured sets of questions or prompts that give
our discussions a little bit of structure.
These are flexible practices that allow you to bring your unique
facilitation style to every interaction, but they also still provide a
framework for deep engagement.
So this episode explains what Questioning Practices are, why they're
important, and how they can actively support question use, and foster
participation in your museum programs.
And for even more practical tools, visit episode 75, How to Look at Art Slowly.
This was the episode that shared my free resource guide of the same name.
This offers lots and lots of different ways to look at art or objects in museums.
So the guide covers static looking.
Movement, observation by drawing, observation by writing and view
finders, and it's all coded for solo or for group use.
So these are really helpful concrete techniques that you can use
immediately to implement slow looking.
And I have two other practical resources that you might find helpful.
So first, my Slow Art Guide.
It's a really user friendly two page guide offering six simple steps to
guide you through the process of slow looking along with lots of helpful tips.
And I've also recently published a new free resource, 24 Simple
Prompts for Slow Looking.
This is a pocket size collection of really thoughtful ways to engage more
deeply with art and objects in museums.
You can print this one out and take it with you into the museum, and it's
perfect for anyone wanting to slow down and really see what they're looking at.
So again, all the links to these free resources will be
going in today's show notes.
So let's go a little bit deeper.
Once you've got the basics down, there are some deeper aspects of
slow looking worth exploring, both in terms of advanced techniques
and understanding how slow looking works in different social settings.
So first up, episode 56.
Great title this: 'Learning to Love Boring Objects through Slow Looking'.
So in this solo episode, I'm talking about how we can use slow looking to
learn to love objects that you might find speech marks 'boring' or uninspiring.
So let's be honest here.
We can't possibly love everything in a museum's collection.
And of course, every museum has its superstar objects that
get all the attention, while others are often overlooked.
So this episode is as much about how we as educators can learn to love
so-called boring objects, as it is about how we can get our visitors to love
objects that are less well known too.
So here I share examples of two objects that only came to life for
me once I had spent time with them.
And at the end I give you the key takeaways on how they can teach
us how to love boring objects.
So spending some time slow looking with objects that you are not
immediately excited by, will I promise, transform the way you see them.
Next in episode 27, an early guest conversation with Kenia Santos,
it's a beautiful conversation.
We talk about how slow looking can develop empathy.
So Kenya shares how she keeps teenage students engaged for three
hours in art classes and explores the connection between careful
observation and understanding others.
So this episode shows how slow looking isn't just about seeing
more, it's about feeling more too.
And episode 1 3 2 slow looking and social interaction in museums with Sasha IG Deva.
So in this episode, I'm talking to Sasha about her groundbreaking research on slow
looking and social interaction in museums.
So while slow looking has gained in popularity worldwide, there
hasn't been much research on its effectiveness until now.
So in this episode, we explored two studies.
One looking at slow looking online.
And the other is the first large scale experiment investigating how social
interaction impacts the museum experience.
So this episode provides the research backing for why group slow
looking experiences are so powerful.
But slow looking isn't just about the eyes.
Slow looking is really about all of the senses.
Add in episode 1 2 9 I talked to Cecilie Skøtt about how to engage
students with classical music through a blend of philosophical
questioning and slow listening.
So Cecilia is a mediation designer at the Carl Nielsen Museum in Denmark, where
they've been using an open questioning mindset and philosophical dialogue to
engage students with classical music.
So this episode shows how the principles of slow engagement can
extend beyond visual art into music and sound involving all of our
senses in deeper museum experiences.
And slow looking is increasingly being used as a practice
approach and mindset to work with specific groups around the world.
In episode 1 2 1 I talk with another Cecilie, Cecilie Monrad, art health
manager at Fredericksburg Museum in Copenhagen about, see, listen, talk.
This is their unique 15 week slow looking program that helps young psychiatric
service users in their recovery.
So we explore in this episode how the program creates connections
and establishes a safe space and a brave space for participants
through a trauma sensitive framework.
The episode demonstrates how slow looking can be thoughtfully adapted to serve
vulnerable communities, showing the powerful impact slow looking can have
both inside and outside the museum.
So there you have it, your complete guide to slow looking through
20 episodes in our back catalog.
So whether you are just getting started or looking to deepen your practice, you
now have a curated roadmap to transform how you might engage with art and objects.
Now the beauty of slow looking is that you can start anywhere.
So pick the episodes that speak to your current needs.
Maybe you want to understand the basics or perhaps you're ready to
implement it with different groups, or perhaps you're curious about how
it's being used around the world.
So if you are new to slow looking, start with episode two.
If you want to convince others of its value, go straight to episode 41.
If you're ready to implement it in your work episodes 82
and 1 3 6 will get you there.
If you're curious about the global movement, dive into the Slow Art
Day episodes and don't forget to download those free resources.
I mentioned the Slow Art Guide, how to Look at Art Slowly, and my
brand new 24 slow looking prompts.
These give you the practical tools to get going immediately.
So slow down, look closer, and see what you discover.
Happy, slow looking.
And if you want a speedy way to find all of these episodes mentioned today, I
know there are a lot of them., Go to my new page on my website with a complete
list of all of the back catalog episodes.
It's called every single episode of The Art Engager podcast.
And if you find this podcast helpful in your practice,
please consider supporting us.
Creating this podcast twice a month involves real costs.
And the best way to help sustain this work is through a monthly Patreon subscription.
If that's not possible, even a one-time donation makes a difference.
I'll put the details in the show notes.
Thank you to everyone who has already generously supported the podcast.
Your contributions make such a difference.
Finally, don't forget to visit my website to learn more about The
Art Engager book available now.
Wherever books are sold.
That's it for today.
Thank you so much for joining us.
See you next time.
Thank you for listening to The Art Engager podcast with me, Claire Bown.
You can find more art engagement resources by visiting my website,
thinkingmuseum.com, and you can also find me on Instagram at Thinking
Museum, where I regularly share tips and tools on how to bring art
to life and engage your audience.
If you've enjoyed this episode, please share with others and subscribe to the
show on your podcast player of choice.
Thank you so much for listening, and I'll see you next time.