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Slow Art Chicago - October 17, 2009

Saturday, October 17, 2009 from 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM (CT)

Chicago, IL

Slow Art Chicago - October 17, 2009

Ticket Information

Type End     Quantity
Commitment to attend (you still have to pay your museum admission fee yourself) Ended Free  

Event Details

Slow Art Chicago
The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
220 East Chicago Avenue 

11:00AM - 12:30PM - art viewing

1:00PM -2:30PM Puck's - the museum restaurant

Fee: You pay the museum admission yourself day of the event and also pay for your own lunch.

This live event is designed to help participants see art in a new way - to exercise their seeing, thinking and listening muscles. 

We suggest that participants look at pieces of art for between 10 minutes and 60 minutes each (viewer's choice). Slow looking like this can transform the experience of viewing art. The typical visitor is often rushed through blockbuster exhibits and can feel intimidated or unwelcome. Certainly, such a person misses the wonder of looking at one painting or sculpture or other work for 10 minutes or more. Yet, it's hard in words to describe what it can be like to look slowly and experience whole new ways of seeing open up.

Slow art was started by novices to invite other novices (and experts) to come, to feel welcome, to not worry about what experts say but rather to take the time themselves to see and discover what is possible when slowly viewing art. 

Hosted by the nonprofit Reading Odyssey, Slow Art is one of our many free programs aimed at helping adults break through the barriers that stop them from learning like children learn - with an openness and excitement guided by curiosity.


How does it work?

1. You register at the link above (so we can send you further instructions and confirm the size of our lunch)
2. You arrive at 10:30 on October 17, pay your admission and then go look at two or more art pieces for 10+ minutes each. Note: we'll send you some suggestions ahead of time for pieces to look at - and recommend that first-time attendees spend 10-15 minutes with each work of art.
3. That's it - you arrive, pay your museum admission price, look at art slowly and then join us for lunch.
4. Oh, and come dressed distinctively.
5. Spread the word.

Can I host one in a different city?

Yes!

E-mail the lead organizer at pterry at reading odyssey dot com and tell him which city, museum and date you are considering.

We'll give you everything we've learned and help you get it going. We hope to encourage an informal movement of slow art actions around the country and around the world.


What does hosting a slow art action entail?

It's neither a lot of work nor does it require financial commitment. You simply pick a date and start promoting it. All the participants pay the museum fee and pay for their own lunch.

And because we are encouraging people to look at art - we aren't running tours, etc - we don't need the permission of the museums (quite the opposite - they are thrilled we are encouraging more people to visit).

All you have to do is pick a date, pick a museum and pick some suggested paitings. We'll provide all the templates for your e-mail invites including a short guide to share with each of your attendees.


What is the Reading Odyssey?
As it says to the right, we are a nonprofit dedicated to encouraging intellectual curiosity. We started mainly focused on good books. We now run phone-based lectures, Facebook campaigns and started this slow art movement.
To keep informed of slow art and our other activities, sign up for the Reading Odyssey newsletter here:

When & Where


The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
220 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, IL

Saturday, October 17, 2009 from 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM (CT)


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Hosted By

Slow Art Day



Slow Art Day is a global nonprofit with a simple mission: to promote the art of looking at art slowly.

Through this mission, we hope to increase the love of art and the support for museums, galleries and artists all over the world.

Our main activity each year is to organize the international Slow Art Day with volunteers in cities on every continent (yes, even Antaractica).

To learn more about Slow Art Day and our mission, visit our website: http://SlowArtDay.com