Slow Looking at Art

Join Michelle White, Senior Curator at the Menil Collection, as she leads us through a session that encourages deliberate, mindful engagement with artworks. In a fast-paced world where museum visitors often spend only a few seconds viewing each piece, this course teaches participants to slow down, observe deeply, and connect with art on a more profound level.

Through guided exercises, we will learn techniques for looking at art with intention and purpose. Ms. White will highlight the ways in which slowing down can enhance perception, emotional response, and intellectual engagement with artworks. Participants will also explore the historical and contemporary significance of slow looking as an artistic and curatorial practice, a cornerstone of Dominique de Menil’s educational philosophy. Whether you are an art enthusiast, student, or museum professional, this session offers valuable tools to transform the way you experience and interpret art, fostering a deeper appreciation for visual culture and its nuances.

As Senior Curator, Michelle White oversees the Menil Collection’s modern and contemporary art. Her most recent exhibition was “Tacita Dean: Blind Folly” and she has organized past exhibitions of the works of Richard Serra, Leslie Hewitt, Vija Celmins, Barnett Newman, Allora & Calzadilla, Roni Horn, and Mona Hatoum, among others.