At the Denver Art Museum (DAM), around forty people are seated in front of a seven-foot-tall portrait. The oil painting features two women – one seated, one standing, and they are holding hands. The portrait’s edge reveals a date of 1889 and a signature by Carolus-Duran. “Portrait of Lady Renée and Lady Juliette de Trédern” is the focus of the museum’s monthly Mindful Looking class.
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Here, participants are asked to take a close and intentional look at a single art piece for 45 minutes.
“Where does your eye go? Does it go back to somewhere it has already been or somewhere new? Take a few minutes to look again,” said Lauren Thomson, senior interpretive specialist at the DAM. She invites attendees to ask questions and make observations.
“The clothing, to me, they evoke the French flag. It's blue, lavender, white and red,” said Helene North. She notes that 1889, the year the painting was completed, is also the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution and wonders aloud if the color choice was a coincidence.
North has been attending Mindful Looking classes for the past year. She said the program has brought her attention to pieces she otherwise would have walked right past.
Most people only spend 15-30 seconds looking at a work of art, said Molly Medakovich, teaching specialist for lifelong learning and accessibility at the museum.
One of the reasons the Mindful Looking program was created back in 2014 was to encourage visitors to really slow down. By taking time with different art pieces, visitors could find more details and connect with one another as they make observations.
“We are talking to one another, we're learning from each other, and the artwork takes on such bigger meaning when we're all sharing our perspective," said Medakovich. “We're all living fast paced lives, scrolling quickly through social media, and there is something about taking time and focusing that I think promotes relaxation.”
The art of slowing down in museums is not new. For decades, the practice has been adopted for its many benefits. Research has shown that programs like these can provide positive social experiences, thereby reducing isolation. They can also increase self-esteem and sense of identity.
At the University of Colorado Art Museum, Hope Saska, the director and chief curator at the museum, said that taking time with artwork doesn’t just connect us with fellow visitors, it also connects us with the artist.
“These are artists who spend hours and hours creating these works of art, or in some cases, days, weeks, months,” said Saska. “You're not going to see everything that they put into the artwork in 10 seconds.”
Saska adds that while museums are great places to practice mindful looking, these skills can be exercised outside of a museum class.
When she is out hiking on a beautiful day and finds herself focused only on the destination, she slows down and takes time to look around.
“I think that can help you appreciate moments in your life,” said Saska.
The University of Colorado Art Museum holds mindfulness classes every Friday. The DAM’s Mindful Looking classes are held monthly on Tuesdays. The next class is on January 27.
