[GFD Event] The Practice of Slow Looking
Details
| Type | Lecture |
|---|---|
| Intended for | General public / Enrolled students / International students / Alumni / University students / Academic and Administrative Staff |
| Date(s) | November 21, 2024 14:00 — 17:00 |
| Location | Komaba Area Campus |
| Venue | Komaba I Campus Komaba International Building for Education and Research (KIBER) 314 /campusmap/cam02_01_05_j.html |
| Capacity | 20 people |
| Entrance Fee | No charge |
| Registration Method | Advance registration required
Register here: |
| Registration Period | October 21, 2024 — November 11, 2024 |
| Contact | gfd-tokyo@adm.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp |
The Practice of Slow Looking
Date: Thursday, November 21, 14:00~17:00
Location: Komaba International Building for Education and Research (KIBER) 314
Language: English
Speaker: Olivia Meehan
Abstract
We are overwhelmed with visual stimuli and information, especially via social media feeds which compel us to “spend our time” at their hectic pace. Drawing on contemplative pedagogy and visual thinking strategies, this workshop will explore ways to foster and promote “attention” as a practice, applicable across a range of disciplines from humanities to sciences. What greater detail will we notice, and how might the practice of slow looking help us develop critical thinking skills and visual intelligence? Discipline-led exercises carefully embedded into teaching may offer students a framework for establishing a practice of looking and attending to ideas, readings, and the world around us. In this workshop we will consider the use of works of art, and everyday objects, as an ideal context in the formation of contemplative practice. Research shows that most people spend around 8-20 seconds looking at a single work of art. How does our experience of art and ideas change if we slow down and spend more time contemplating a single work of art or object? What role can art play in disciplines outside the humanities? This interactive workshop offers participants an opportunity to practice slow looking and contemplation, and some suggestions for curriculum design that incorporates art and objects.
Speaker Bio
Olivia Meehan received her MPhil and PhD in the History of Art from the University of Cambridge, King's College. Her graduate research focused on the circulation of cultural material and ideas in early modern Europe and Japan. She has also trained at the V&A Museum London (International Initiatives) in Creating Innovative Learning Programmes. Since graduating she has worked in museums and galleries, and as a lecturer and tutor in the History of Art. Her current research focuses on Observation, Imagination and Slow Looking.
