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Digital Storytelling Festival

19-20 May 2026�#DigiStoryFest

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DAY 2

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Housekeeping and useful information

Use Q&A for questions for the speakers
Use chat for your thoughts and to interact with participants
Use #DigiStoryFest on social media

Accessibility - use closed captions on Zoom
Accessibility - speakers will provide self-descriptions

Yes - we will share the recording and the slides

Please complete the survey when you close Zoom

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Inclusive engagement guidelines

We ask everyone to:

Listen (and read) with the same energy and focus with which they want to be heard.
Embrace a learning mindset, be aware of their own biases, and have the courage to be curious about what they do not know or understand.
Respect all points of view, hold space for multiple perspectives and lived experiences to influence what we do and why we do it (meaning, we are maintaining a space where participants may be without fear of attack, ridicule, or denial of experience).
Own any errors you make, apologise, and make amends.
Maintain that any person has the right to speak up and identify when a boundary has been crossed.
If there’s anything you’d like to flag with Europeana staff, use DM in the chat

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Today’s programme

10:00-10:10: Welcome

10:10-10:30: Keynote - John Beauchamp, Jagiellonian University and KU Leuven

10:35-11:35: Engaging audiences with AI - Martina Freitag (Kunsthalle Praha), Julie L. Parisi (MUNCH)

11:35-11:45: BREAK

11:45-12:45: Play and remix - Wytze Koppelman (NISV), Mart Alaru (Estonia National Museum), Christine Koblitz (Wien Museum)

12:45-13:30: BREAK

13:30-14:30: Workshop - Slow looking with Europeana - Christine Hveding, Daniela Bunea

14:30-14:35: BREAK

14:35-15:00: GIFted moment - looping through the archives

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Sound waves by Paul Griggs - Wellcome Collection, United Kingdom - CC BY.

Keynote talk��John Beauchamp

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Sonic Encounters III - M Museum Leuven

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Bare code by Rigou Angeliki - 2004 - Athens School of Fine Arts, Greece - CC BY-SA.

Engaging audiences with AI ��Martina Freitag �(Kunsthalle Praha)��Julie L. Parisi �(MUNCH)

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Warm up with AI

Kunsthalle Praha

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How it started

Working together with the artist Marie Nováková (AI: WHEN ROBOT WRITES A PLAY, 2021)
Exhibition READ by Elmgreen & Dragset (2023)
Work with text (ChatGPT)
Task: choose an artwork and literary genre -> create an accompanying text to the artwork

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Work with image

Exhibition of the photographer Lucia Moholy (-> moving images) and Chiharu Shiota
Working with experts from Aignos
Using the app Runway (Unlimited)

Plus: price x effect
Minus: the amount of outputs

Group: 25 participants (7 iPads)
Duration: 2 hours

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Developing the ability to create a cinematic image and actively observe and interpret an exhibition or works of art
Creating a brief—concept/theme/clearly describing what is needed/viewing mistakes as challenges and responding to them creatively
Analyzing and creating a still image with the potential to be brought to life

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What worked and what not

Some images contained too many simultaneous actions
With portraits AI often altered the unique character of individuals, turning them into modern, flawless faces
Need to guide participants to perceive the picture as a moving image with a single unfolding action
Ensure that the movement interpretations preserved the character of the installations
Otherwise: surreal compositions

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Reflection and numbers

Presentation of the works
How did the generating work
Reflecting upon the limits and possibilities of work with AI
Sending the videos to the groups
Warm up with AI image (2024-5)

Workshop: 50+
Participants: 1000+

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Thank you and feel free to send more questions: martina.freitagova@gmail.com

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BREAK

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Enjoy stories �from the Europeana Creative Climate Action Award

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Interiörbild från utställningen Play Beyond Play. - Swedish National Museum of Science and Technology, Sweden - CC BY.

Play and remix �

Wytze Koppelman (NISV) �

Mart Alaru �(Estonia National Museum)�

Christine Koblitz �(Wien Museum)

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Games in preservation

and presentation

The playable archive

Wytze Koppelman

The Netherlands Institute for Sound & Vision

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<- MUSEUM

<- ARCHIVE

RESEARCH ->

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Our starting point: �The Dutch Games Canon

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Our strategy:�Preservation by emulation

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An example:

A2 Racer II

by Davilex Games

So let me show you how we make these games playable in a short video.

- As you can see, it takes less than a minute to boot up this old game from our station. Now this process is not one to one for most games, but it shows you the steps we’re aiming to take. All of the emulated information is stored in that emulation package, meaning that we should have all the files and information needed to boot up a complete package when accessing this work on a future machine. Now as a reminder, we do emulation. We do not rewrite the code, because we feel that it is not our place to interfere with the way the original games ran or looked. I’ve seen some great work on people running a game like AmsterDOOM with rewritten code, but AmsterDOOM was never designed to be displayed with HD textures on a widescreen monitor. We feel that as an archive, we need to stick as close to the original ‘feel’ as possible, while eliminating the risks that older hardware can bring

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1990s

=

not cool

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2020s

=

cultural history

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forumpost

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Game over

Thank you for listening

Wytze Koppelman

The Netherlands Institute for Sound & Vision

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How digital heritage affords creativity in a mediatised world – a study on a digital heritage remix contest in Estonia

Mart Alaru

Estonian National Museum

University of Tartu

Tartu 2026

Background: Hiie Posti

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Remix contest „Eesti Raamat 500“

April – September 2025
Open to interpretation
No restrictions to submission formats
Had to be sourced from digital heritage databases
From basic school (grade 6) to 18+
159 remixes from 139 participants

21 semi-structured interviews with adults

Focus: 1) Finding the contest; 2) experience with the databases and platforms

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Examples of submissions

Collages, memes, videos, stories, poetry,�digital installation, chatbot,�quiz game,�remix of alphabet books

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Theoretical framework

Mediatisation as the background context for digital heritage use, (Couldry 2012; Hjarvard 2008; Taylor & Gibson 2017; Robinson 2020) incl. datafication and algorithmic power (Livingstone 2019; Siles et al 2024)
Affordances as on a spectrum of different intensities and inclinations, based on Jenny Davis’s (2020) conceptualisation: „I suggest that affordances are characterized by a suite of mechanisms: request, demand, encourage, discourage, refuse, and allow. These mechanisms operate together as a tool to discern and articulate the varying degrees of insistence with which technological objects push, pull, and respond in multiple directions“ (Davis 2020: 82).

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Remix structure

The trigger (seeing the remix ad, hearing about it from a friend, etc)
The creative process (searching or browsing and getting an idea)
The implementation (putting together the actual piece)

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Contest as encouragement (to be creative)

The intervention of the contest serving as an encouraging affordance (Davis 2020) or a „trigger“ for creative individuals
Remix contest as a representation of mediatisation
Social media with its logic being the main driver of participation

One of the informants felt that the contest advertisement was significantly timed with their recently resurfaced aspiration to become involved in design that it felt “like a sign that I had to try something” (21).

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The need for an objective

Digital heritage databases tend to expect the user to approach them with an objective
Remix contest instructions serving as a form of curation (and objective)

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Expectation of serendipity

Accustomedness to algorithmic serendipity on any platform as a feature of mediatisation
The expected feature of algorithmic serendipity would have better represented the creative intentions of some participants
The need to overcome the non-serendipitous interfaces as sources of productive friction

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Critical application of the affordances of mediatisation

„Curated“ mediatisation as a possible framework for digitalising heritage
Uncritical mediatisation of digital heritage can lead to trivialisation of heritage
Digital heritage that indiscriminately avoids the effects of mediatisation will not reach lay-users
We should normalise the notion that the development of digital heritage things goes hand in hand with the work of inclusion, meaning-making and encouragement

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Thank you!

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A Shared Secret�The AR Escape Game at the Uhrenmuseum

Grafik: Daniel Rachbauer, Wien Museum

Presentation: Christine Koblitz, Wien Museum

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Uhrenmuseum

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A Shared Secret – The AR Escape Game at the Uhrenmuseum

Fotos: Lisa Rastl, Wien Museum

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Idea

A Shared Secret – The AR Escape Game at the Uhrenmuseum

Visualisierung Franco Lanfur/ VARS, Foto: Lisa Rastl, Wien Museum

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Trailer

A Shared Secret – The AR Escape Game at the Uhrenmuseum

Visualisierung Franco Lanfur/ VARS, Foto: Lisa Rastl, Wien Museum

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Team

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A Shared Secret – The AR Escape Game at the Uhrenmuseum

Wien Museum Christine Koblitz

Tabea Rude

Irmi MacGuire�

Archäo Now Miram Weberstorfer� Sarah Ambichl�

VARS Franco Lanfur�

Graphic Design Daniel Rachbauer

Tabea Rude, Foto: Christine Koblitz, Wien Museum

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Story Development

connecting all three floors
fictional/ non-fictional?
main character?
a clockmaster´s apprentice?
a secret plan?
a hidden legacy
no timetravel

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A Shared Secret – The AR Escape Game at the Uhrenmuseum

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Game development & testing!

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Puzzles & Rewards

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A Shared Secret – The AR Escape Game at the Uhrenmuseum

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A Clock in 12 Parts

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A Shared Secret – The AR Escape Game at the Uhrenmuseum

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The Game

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Groups: 2-5 People

Age: 14+

Duration: 60-90 Minutes

Languages: german, english

The tablet will be provided on site

Price: EUR 15,- /Person

A Shared Secret – The AR Escape Game at the Uhrenmuseum

Foto: Michael Goldrei, Wien Museum

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Thank you!!��

A Shared Secret – The AR Escape Game at the Uhrenmuseum

Christine Koblitz

Stabstelle Engagement Management

Christine .Koblitz [@] wienmuseum.at

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BREAK

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Enjoy stories �from the Europeana Creative Climate Action Award

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Eye Miniature by Hornemann, Christian - National Gallery of Denmark, Denmark - Public Domain.

Slow Looking with Europeana

with Christine Hveding and Daniela Bunea

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Our speakers

Christine Hveding,

BD Coordinator, Education

Europeana

Daniela Bunea

Teacher of English

Life skills enthusiast

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Eye Miniature by Hornemann, Christian - National Gallery of Denmark, Denmark - Public Domain.

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Questions

What do you see?

What sounds do you hear?

What textures/temperatures do you feel?

What can you smell?

What do you taste?

What is missing?

What do you see? + How does the artist use colour to show the reflection of the sky? What colour in this painting makes you feel the calmest?

What sounds do you hear? + What sounds do you usually associate with boats on water?

What textures/temperatures do you feel? + If you could jump into the river, would the water be smooth or choppy? What is the "temperature" of the water?

What can you smell? + What do you think the air smells like near this river? How does the smoke from the boats make you feel about the environment?

What do you taste? the air, the water…

What is missing? + If you were on one of those boats, where do you think you would be going?

No movement (it’s a painting) - How do the "points" or "dabs" of colour make the water seem to move? Is the river "working" or "resting" in this painting? How does the "repetition" of the boats create a sense of rhythm for your eyes? Does this painting make you feel like the world is moving forward or standing still?

The pointillist technique is used to show that small, individual actions (the points) can create a larger, cohesive picture; this a a great metaphor for community and wellbeing.

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Eye Miniature by Hornemann, Christian - National Gallery of Denmark, Denmark - Public Domain.

Flusslandschaft mit Schleppern und Kähnen by Paul Signac (11.11.1863 - 15.8.1935, Zeichner) - 1900 - Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Germany - CC BY-NC-SA.

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What do you see? You see colours, lines, shapes… Do you see how the artist uses colour to show the reflection of the sky? Now let me ask you this: What colour in this painting makes you feel the calmest? Please jot down your answer in the chat, thank you.

What sounds do you hear? + What sounds do you usually associate with boats on water? Can you hear those sounds? What are they?

What textures/temperatures do you feel? + If you could jump into the river, would the water be smooth or choppy? What do you think is the "temperature" of the water?

What can you smell? + What do you think the air smells like near this river? How does the smoke from the boats make you feel about the environment?

What do you taste? the air, the water… What do you think the air smells like?

What is missing? + If you were on one of those boats, where do you think you would be going?

No movement (it’s a painting!) - But do you notice how the "points" or "dabs" of colour make the water seem to move? Is the river "working" or "resting" in this painting? Does this painting make you feel like the world is moving forward or standing still?

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The crisis of the quick glance

In a culture obsessed with speed, slow looking is a quiet revolution.

When we think about visiting a museum, we imagine curiosity, discovery, maybe even wonder. But the reality is often very different. Research suggests that the average museum visitor spends only a few seconds – sometimes as little as 8 seconds – looking at an artwork. Just a quick glance. A flicker of attention. And then we move on. What’s more, quite often, we spend more time reading the label (the title, the artist’s name, the date) than actually looking at the artwork itself. This reflects something deeper about the world we live in. We are surrounded by speed. We scroll, we skim, we jump from one thing to another. Attention has become fragmented.

So what happens to meaning? What happens to connection?

This is where slow looking comes in.

Slow looking is not about knowing more facts. It is about giving ourselves permission to stay. To look again. To notice something we didn’t see the first time. And then something else. When we spend 10 minutes, or even just a few intentional minutes, with a single image, something shifts. Details begin to emerge. Questions appear. Emotions surface. The artwork opens up, and so do we. And this is why slow looking is a quiet revolution. It does not demand more technology, more content, or more speed. It asks for the opposite. Less, but deeper. In a culture obsessed with quick glances, choosing to look slowly is a small but powerful act. By slow looking we learn not just to see, but to truly notice, reflect, and connect.

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What is slow looking

Definition: A practice, mindset, and approach involving the study of something with intention and attention.�
Quality vs. Quantity: It is less about the total amount of time spent and more about the quality of attention given.

Beyond the Museum: While it originated in museums, it can be practised anywhere, on nature, everyday objects, or even texts.

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Origins

Formalised by Shari Tishman for Harvard Project Zero�
Defined as a mode of learning through prolonged observation�
Emphasises observation as a pathway to knowledge and understanding

��The idea of Slow Looking has its roots in the wider ‘Slow Movement,’ which began in 1986 with the Slow Food movement in Italy. This movement emerged as a reaction against fast consumer culture and encouraged people to value quality, reflection, and meaningful experiences.

These ideas later spread into other fields like education, journalism, and eventually museum learning.

In education and the arts, Slow Looking was formalised by Shari Tishman through Harvard’s Project Zero. Project Zero is a renowned educational research centre at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, originally established to systematise scientific knowledge in art education. It is widely known for developing practical and adaptable teaching strategies that promote deep and critical thinking. ��She described it as a mode of learning based on careful and prolonged observation.

The approach was also influenced by research showing that museum visitors often spend only a few seconds looking at an artwork before moving on.

Art historian Jennifer Roberts expanded these ideas further by encouraging what she calls ‘strategic patience’ and ‘temporal intelligence’ — essentially creating space for deeper understanding to emerge over time.

This later inspired initiatives such as Slow Art Day, where people around the world are encouraged to spend five to ten minutes with a single artwork and experience a more personal and reflective connection.”

��

. In her book, Slow Looking: The Art and Practice of Learning through Observation, she defines it as a "mode of learning" and a means of gaining knowledge through prolonged observation

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Cognitive, Emotional and Educational Benefits

Deeper Understanding

Learners are more than twice as likely to report deeper understanding
Supports meaning-making by linking details to personal and cultural insights

Transferable Habits of Mind

Builds curiosity, persistence, and flexibility
Skills transfer beyond the classroom into everyday life

Critical Thinking

Encourages pausing before judging
Challenges assumptions and avoids premature conclusions
Leads to more nuanced interpretations

In the classroom

Looking closely and carefully helps to unravel complexity, build connections and see things from multiple perspectives.

Enhanced Understanding: Participants who look slowly are more than twice as likely to report a deeper understanding of an object compared to those who look freely. It provides the time needed for “meaning-making,” linking sensory details to personal and cultural insights.

Navigating Complexity: Slow looking helps students and learners break down complex systems (like a biological specimen or a poem) into manageable parts to see how they function as a whole.

Transferable “Habits of Mind”: The skills developed, such as curiosity, persistence, and flexibility, can transfer beyond the classroom to other disciplines and personal life challenges.

Critical Thinking: By deferring immediate judgment, observers bypass the “narrowness” of familiar categories and avoid premature closure, leading to more nuanced interpretations.

In the classroom: Slow looking can be used to great effect in the classroom. Looking closely and carefully helps to unravel complexity, build connections and see things from multiple perspectives it encourages students to pause, observe carefully, and engage more deeply with what they encounter. Instead of rushing to answers, they learn to notice details, ask questions, and reflect. This helps them unravel complexity, build connections, and consider multiple perspectives, turning learning into a more thoughtful process.

In History, slow looking allows students to explore images without immediate context, noticing clues such as clothing, expressions, and setting. These observations lead to interpretations and highlight that history is made of many perspectives, not a single story.

In Science, close observation of diagrams or visuals helps students identify patterns and relationships before formal explanations. They begin to understand systems and connections, making learning more exploratory and meaningful.

In Music, attentive listening encourages students to notice layers such as rhythm, instruments, and mood. Repeated listening deepens both understanding and emotional awareness.

Across subjects, slow looking teaches students to stay with something long enough for meaning to emerge, fostering attention, curiosity, and deeper understanding.

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Hands-On Framework and Activity:

On the art of slow looking

1 ENTERING THE ARTWORK = arrival 🔵Close your eyes for a few moments. Open them, look at… 🔵Take 1 minute to look silently. What was the very first thing your eyes were drawn to? Why might that be?	2 WHAT DO YOU NOTICE? = see, feel/touch, hear, smell, taste + what’s missing? / what doesn’t fit?
3 WHAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING? = think What is going on? What makes you say that? (Visible Thinking Routines - Harvard Project Zero)	4 CURIOSITY OPENS = wonder Questions about people, story, emotions…
5 EMOTIONAL CONNECTION “It is only with one’s heart that one can see clearly.” (The Little Prince)	6 REVEAL & CONNECT = brief context title, artist, time -> meaning grows
7 PERSONAL RESPONSE = create 🔵voice note 🔵take a photo 🔵choose a song 🔵write a piece of descriptive writing	8 CLOSING RITUAL = reset What do you notice now that you didn’t notice before?

�(7-8 Minutes)��What follows is a structured 8-step methodology designed to help individuals deeply engage with art by intentionally slowing down.

It is a pedagogical tool designed to facilitate deep engagement with cultural heritage. This framework transforms a quick glance into a meaningful encounter by prioritizing personal discovery before introducing academic context.

The process begins with "Arrival" (Step 1), a mindful entry involving silent observation to identify what first captures the viewer's attention.

Steps 2 through 4 encourage a multisensory and analytical exploration, asking students to imagine scents, sounds, and textures while utilizing Project Zero’s "See, Think, Wonder" routine (and tips and tricks from other thinking routines) to unravel the

artwork's narrative. Step 2 uses the 5-to-0 technique: 5 details (and actions) you see, 4 textures/temperatures you can feel, 3 sounds you could hear, 2 smells you could encounter, 1 taste you would(n’t) mind and then it specifically prompts students to consider what is missing or "doesn't fit," fostering deeper critical thinking.

The framework then shifts focus toward the "Heart" (Step 5), emphasizing emotional resonance through the philosophy that "it is only with one's heart that one can see clearly".

This is followed by "Reveal & Connect" (Step 6), where the title and artist are shared, so only after the student has formed a personal bond with the work.

The activity culminates in a "Personal Response" (Step 7), which may include voice notes, photos, or descriptive writing, and a "Closing Ritual" (Step 8) to reflect on details missed during the initial look.

By following this sequence, educators can support student wellbeing and empathy by providing a "mental

reset" through sustained, intentional focus.

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More prompts for slow looking

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1 ENTERING THE ARTWORK

Close your eyes for a few seconds. Open them and look at the painting. Where was the very first place your eyes landed? Why might that be?
Imagine you are walking through the field toward the shepherdess. How close do you feel you need to stand or sit next to her to feel like you are part of her world?

2 WHAT DO YOU NOTICE?

What small details do you notice about the people, animals, landscape?
Choose one colour (for example, red, green, brown). Where do you see it repeated across the painting? What effect does this create?
Look for patterns/repetitions - animals, shapes, gestures, facial expressions… What do they add to the scene?
What textures can you imagine - wool, grass, skin, fabric? Which would seem softest? Reach out (mentally) and touch the wool. Touch the fabric of her dress. How are they different?
What sounds might be present in this scene? If you were standing/sitting next to her, what are the quietest sounds you would hear in the background?
What might the air smell like here?
If this scene had a taste, what would it be? Why?
What do you not see in this painting that you might expect in real life? If this is a working pasture, what details from a real farm has the artist chosen to leave out? Why? To make the scene feel more peaceful?...
Is there anything that doesn’t fit? Why would you say that?

3 WHAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING?

Look at her posture. Do you think she is resting? What do you think is happening between the woman and the child?
Look at her hands. What might she be pointing at? What could she be showing? If you follow that one line (the direction of her arm, or the horizon for that matter), where does this lead your eye? Why might the artist have done this?
Is she about to move? What makes you say that?
What role do the animals play in this scene?
Why do you think she is wearing such fine clothing and flowers while tending to animals in a field?
Trace an imaginary journey from the foreground to the background - what story unfolds as you move through the scene?

4 CURIOSITY OPENS

What is she looking at just outside the frame? Is it someone she knows, or is she looking at us?
What questions would you like to ask her?
What might have happened just before this moment?
What could be the ‘inside story’ of the dog sitting so calmly at her feet?
What might happen next?

5 EMOTIONAL CONNECTION

Remember, it is only with one’s heart that one can see clearly. When you look at this painting with your heart, does it feel like a memory, a dream, or a real moment?
How does this scene make you feel? Calm? Curious? Nostalgic? Something else? Why?
Which character (person or animal) do you feel most connected to? Why?
Focus on the shepherdess’ facial expression. If you were feeling the exact same way she looks right now, what word would describe your mood?

6 REVEAL & CONNECT

What does this scene tell you about daily life in the past?
How is this way of life similar to or different from life today?
Could she be playing a part? Why would you say that?
Does the organised, calm beauty of this scene remind you of a place where you feel safe and relaxed? Why?/Why not?

7 PERSONAL RESPONSE

Imagine you are the child. What are you feeling in this moment?
If you could pick a single song to play in the background of this field, would it be fast and energetic or slow and melodic? Why?
Add a speech bubble to this painting - the secret thought the shepherdess might be thinking but isn’t saying…
Write a short caption that could accompany this artwork.

8 CLOSING RITUAL

Take one final panoramic look at the whole painting. What is one tiny detail you noticed just now that you hadn’t seen at the beginning?
Take a deep breath and ‘step out’ of the painting - what feeling from her world do you want to keep with you for the rest of the day?

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1 ENTERING THE ARTWORK

1.Close your eyes for a few seconds. Open them and look at the painting. Where was the very first place your eyes landed? Why might that be?

2.Imagine you are walking through the field toward the shepherdess. How close do you feel you need to stand or sit next to her to feel like you are part of her world?

2 WHAT DO YOU NOTICE?

1.What 5 small details do you notice about the people, the animals, the landscape?

2.Choose one colour (for example, red, green, brown). Where do you see it repeated across the painting? What effect does this create?

3.Look for patterns/repetitions - animals, shapes, gestures, facial expressions… What do they add to the scene?

4.What 4 textures can you imagine - wool, grass/ground, skin, fabric? Which would seem softest? Reach out (mentally) and touch the wool. Touch the fabric of her dress. How are they different?

5.What 3 sounds might be present in this scene? If you were standing/sitting next to her, what are the quietest sounds you would hear in the background?

6.What might the air smell like here? Or the animals… 2 smells here.

7.If this scene had a taste, what would it be? Why?

8.What do you not see in this painting that you might expect in real life? If this is a working pasture, what details from a real farm has the artist chosen to leave out? Why?

9.Is there anything that doesn’t fit? Why would you say that?

3 WHAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING?

1.Look at her posture. Do you think she is resting? What do you think is happening between the woman and the child?

2.Look at her hands. What might she be pointing at? What could she be showing? If you follow that one line (the direction of her arm, or the horizon for that matter), where does this lead your eye? Why might the artist have done this?

3.Is she about to move? What makes you say that? Is she about to move and do what?

4.What role do the animals play in this scene?

5.Why do you think she is wearing such fine clothing and flowers while tending to animals in a field?

6.Trace an imaginary journey from the foreground to the background - what story unfolds as you move through the scene?

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4 CURIOSITY OPENS

1.Look at her face. What is she looking at just outside the frame? Is it someone she knows, or is she looking at us?

2.What questions would you like to ask her?

3.What could be the ‘inside story’ of the dog sitting so calmly at her feet? What might have happened just before this moment?

4.What might have happened just before this moment?

5.What might happen next?

5 EMOTIONAL CONNECTION

1.Remember, it is only with one’s heart that one can see clearly. When you look at this painting with your heart, does it feel like a memory, a dream, or a real moment?

2.How does this scene make you feel? Calm? Curious? Nostalgic? Something else? Why?

3.Which character (person or animal) do you feel most connected to? Why?

4.Focus on the shepherdess’ facial expression. If you were feeling the exact same way she looks right now, what word would describe your mood?

6 REVEAL & CONNECT

This is Jacob Gerritsz’ “The Shepherdess”, 1628.

1.What does this scene tell you about daily life in the past, 400 years ago?

2.How is this way of life similar to or different from life today?

3.Could she be playing a part? Why would you say that?

4.Does the organised, calm beauty of this scene remind you of a place where you feel safe and relaxed? Why?/Why not?

7 PERSONAL RESPONSE

1.Imagine you are the child. What are you feeling in this particular moment?

2.If you could pick a single song to play in the background of this field, would it be fast and energetic or slow and melodic? Why?

3.Add a speech bubble to this painting, or a thought bubble - the secret thought the shepherdess might be thinking but isn’t saying…

4.Write a short caption that could accompany this artwork.

8 CLOSING RITUAL

1.Take one final panoramic look at the whole painting. What is one tiny detail you noticed just now that you hadn’t seen before?

2.Take a deep breath and ‘step out’ of the painting as if for good - what feeling from her world do you want to keep with you for the rest of the day?

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Practical Classroom Examples

Snell, A practical guide to the examination, Wellcome Collection, United Kingdom, CC BY

UNLIKELY PAIRS

WHO AM I?

*2 artworks next to each other

“What if they could talk to each other?”

(What would they say? How would they say it? What is the story they share?)

Create a dialogue between them (speech bubbles, written story/screenplay, audio recording, choreography etc.).

*gallery walk, choose an item

Create a monologue.

Rejoin the group.

Take turns sharing your monologue. Peers guess which piece was chosen.

! for extra challenge: items without any characters (people, animals)

! for weaker students, teacher provides scaffold prompts

Two paintings that talk to each other
Pairings with monologues and guess work

After students have moved through the slow looking framework, there are numerous activities that can help them extend their thinking creatively and collaboratively. Here you have 2 examples.

The first one is called “Unlikely Pairs.” Students work with two artworks placed side by side – images that may not seem connected at first. The task is to imagine that these artworks can “talk” to each other. What would they say? How would they say it? What shared story might emerge? Students then create a dialogue between them. This can take many forms: speech bubbles, a short script, an audio recording, even a physical performance. The aim is to deepen interpretation by encouraging students to build connections and narratives based on careful observation.

The second activity is “Who Am I?” Students begin with a gallery walk, choosing one artwork that speaks to them. They then create a short monologue from the perspective of that artwork, a character within it, or even an object. When they rejoin the group, they perform their monologue, and the others guess which artwork it represents. For an extra challenge, students can choose artworks without people or animals. For weaker students, teacher provides scaffold prompts.

Both activities build beautifully and purposely on slow looking by transforming observation into voice, imagination, and shared meaning.

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Q&A

Portrait of Marie Jeanette de Lange - 1900 - Rijksmuseum, Netherlands - Public Domain.

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Resources

Woman at the Window by Galanda, Mikuláš - Slovak national gallery, Slovakia - Public Domain..

In Europeana:

Learning scenario: Mentalizing, the inside story (LS-ME-560) from Teaching with Europeana

Slow Looking Europeana Gallery

Articles and Books

TATE’s guide to slow looking��Claire Brown’s Complete guide to slo w looking in museums f rom The Thinking Museum

Slow Looking Europeana Gallery

smART: Use Your Eyes to Boost Your Brain by Amy E. Herman and Heather Maclean, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2021.�
Slow Looking: The Art of Looking at Art by Peter Clothier, Encounter Books, 2012.�
Slow Looking: The Art and Practice of Learning Through Observation, By Shari Tishman, Routledge 2018.

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BREAK

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Archivkarte: Bildtafel by Fritz Schlesinger (1890-1980) (Sammler) - Lette Verein Berlin, Germany - Public Domain.

GIFted Moment: looping through the archives

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What’s for dinner today?

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Give this GIF a headline

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This is a reaction to a minor inconvenience. What just happened?

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Wrong answers only: What is this machine designed to do?

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Where is this GIF taking you? Type your dream destination in the chat!

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This is the face you make when…

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What is your �favourite book?

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What small win have you celebrated lately?

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Your favourite sport (to practice or to watch)?

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Say bye bye in your language

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THANK YOU

See you again soon