Hello,
I'm Steve Pizzell,
And for nearly four decades,
I've had the privilege of working with some of the world's most extraordinary artworks and cultural institutions as a director and curator across various public galleries and museums in Canada and here in Australia.
But my journey with deep looking began with a simple observation.
How often we might think about the artwork in front of us.
What we know,
Considering what we don't know or understand,
Instead of deeply experiencing the work right here,
Right now.
Evading the possibility of creating a genuine emotional connection as a way of just being with a work of art.
As museums and galleries,
We were excellent at sharing artist information,
Historical context,
Artistic techniques,
And sometimes even of truth theories.
We weren't always creating spaces for deeper,
More personal connections with art.
Over the years,
I began to notice how visitors would move quickly through the galleries,
And I listened to them exclaiming things like,
I just don't get it.
What does this artwork even mean?
There were those who only read labels with the quickest glance at the actual work.
And more recently,
I began noticing a trend that we saw occasionally,
And now we see in almost three out of five visitors,
Only looking at a work of art through the lens of their smartphone.
And then you have those who only take selfies in front of the work,
Not even bothering to turn around again and really look at it.
In 2016,
The Art Gallery of New South Wales invited me to explore how contemplative practices might transform the way we experience art.
It was an experiment.
Drawing on my background as a former museum and gallery director,
And my parallel experience teaching an introduction to mindfulness for the School of Life in Sydney.
The gallery in Sydney saw an opportunity to bring these two worlds together,
A deep understanding of art and contemplative practice.
To explore how mindfulness might transform the way we experience art.
In ways I hadn't even imagined.
It wasn't just about looking at art differently,
It was about creating a whole new way of being with art.
Aware of the slow looking practices that a handful of galleries around the world had started to undertake,
They took more time to look at art.
And it was a first really big step.
But what if we could support the viewer with tools and mindfulness techniques drawn from the ancient wisdom traditions that would help create experiences where people could slow down,
Settle their minds,
And open their hearts to art in entirely new ways.
To experience the awe and wonder that can be found in so many great works of art.
My years in museums had taught me how people connect with art conceptually,
While my mindfulness practice revealed how we might access it more as an experience.
Tapping into emotions and feelings.
This intersection felt transformational,
Combining the curator's eye for detail with the meditator's capacity for presence and deep awareness.
The response was immediate and quite amazing.
Participants noted often that until a mindful viewing experience,
That they hadn't really looked at a work of art before.
This integrated approach resonated deeply with people.
It was like a direct line to the artwork one participant shared.
Another described it as a deeper connection with the human experience.
These responses inspired programs at the Sydney Opera House,
The Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney,
And the Vivid Sydney Festival over several years.
Each confirming that when we bring mindfulness awareness to art viewing,
Something remarkable happens.
Now I'm here to share these practices of art mindfully with you,
Not just as techniques for viewing art,
But as gateways to developing greater presence and emotional awareness in our daily lives.
Together we'll discover how the simple act of looking deeply can open us up to new experiences of connection and understanding.
Please join me for one of the art mindfully sessions available here on Insight Timer.
