Slow Look Reflection

Visiting the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art and participating in the "slow look" exercise was a unique, yet eye-opening experience. We spent ten uninterrupted minutes looking at any artwork of our choosing. I chose George Segal's statue, "Girl on a Chair". At first glance, "Girl on a Chair" confused me and I had no thoughts on what it could mean. The figure's white, plastered texture stood out from the bold, red chair and the black box enclosure it rested in. That’s all I had to start, but after the 10 long minutes, I was full of takeaways. The seated figure gives a sense of solitude, perhaps even isolation. The absence of her face made me project my emotions onto her and left me wondering about her story. Is she sad, anxious, curious, calm, content? Her posture, hunched and introspective, gave off a sense of vulnerability; the body was made of plaster, a very lifeless material that contrasted with the humanity of the figure; the black enclosure gave a sense of entrapment and looked as if it was being held by the girl’s head.

My conclusion was that it was a piece symbolizing women’s societal constraints, but the beauty of this exercise was that there was no right answer. Beyond the artwork, this experience taught me the value of slowing down and being present. I find myself skimming through experiences and not finding much to takeaway, and this is why I was able to find value in an exercise like this. I felt my observational skills improve and I was reminded that ideas and meaning can emerge from simply paying attention. This practice of "slow looking" is something I hope to carry into other areas of life, whether it's appreciating a sunset, talking to somebody I’ve never met, or overcoming a challenge in my own life by taking it slow.