« It’s not what you look at, it’s what you see. »
Henry David Thoreau
On April 14, Château de Montsoreau – Museum of Contemporary Art participates in the International Slow Art Day. Imagined by Phil Terry, this day goes against a frenetic way of consuming culture and invites us to look at even one work of art but with attention. During a particular day, visitors are invited to take time to admire the works and share their impressions with other visitors for a moment of conviviality.
Created in 2008, Slow Art Day brings together museums around the world that develop a « well-being » approach, connecting mainly to their feelings, emotions, and their own perceptions of works of art. It now covers 12 countries and more than 170 events in international museums: the National Gallery, the Ashmolean Museum, the 440 Gallery in Brooklyn, the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney or the Palazzo Strozzi in Firenze.
The principle of Slow Art Day is to watch three works of art for 5 to 10 minutes and then share your experience with other visitors to the museum. At Château de Montsoreau-Museum of contemporary art, visitors are invited to discover Mirror Piece (Art & Language), Air Conditioning Show (Art & Language) and Malabar (Ettore Sottsass) and then exchange their feelings with each other and with a museum mediator over a coffee in his JEAN 2 dining cellar who also practices slow food.