In an era of increasingly condensed and expedited communication, it only takes four words to make a big difference in someone’s mental well-being. It will make you a better writer, too. Take just a look at your fish,” often ascribed to the great naturalist Louis Agassiz, has become not only a wonderful piece of writing advice but an exhortation to the virtue of rich observation. This approach emphasizes the value of taking one’s time to truly engage with and understand one’s surroundings.
Julia Baird, an award–winning writer and biographer, was introduced to this wisdom while writing a biography of the late Australian politician, the Hon. For the rest of the process she hung the phrase on a sheet of paper over her desk, letting it map her course through the writing process. Now, educators and historians are taking up the practice of “slow looking.” They all agree that these techniques aren’t just good to learn—they help develop critical thinking skills and the ability to articulate complex ideas in a concise way.
The Concept of Slow Looking
The practice of slow looking has become increasingly popular in recent years, as a number of educators and academics have led the way in promoting the practice. Historian James Elkins introduced this idea in his 2000 book How to Use Your Eyes, urging readers to take their time when observing art and the world around them. Art historian Jennifer Roberts took the idea in an intriguing, actionable direction in her 2013 essay, “Power of Patience.” In her teaching practice, she champions longer observation, giving students the time to dig in and explore their dream disciplines.
Roberts’ work is influenced by her experiences with Agassiz’s teaching style. She goes on to vividly narrate how Agassiz would insistently instruct his students—over and over again—to “Look at your fish.” He underscored the need to observe deeply and widely before formulating any thesis. The technique helps people to take a moment and enjoy the details of what they are looking at.
“When he came back, he would ask the student what he’d seen. Not very much, they would most often say, and Agassiz would say it again: Look at your fish.” – Jennifer Roberts
Roberts, noting that in a fast-moving world of instant gratification, students today easily get intimidated out of sticking around and making careful observation. She believes that providing students with the permission and structure to slow down can lead to greater insights and understanding.
“Every external pressure, social and technological, is pushing students in the other direction, toward immediacy, rapidity, and spontaneity — and against this other kind of opportunity. I want to give them the permission and the structures to slow down.” – Jennifer Roberts
Discovering New Perspectives
Jennifer Roberts discusses how slow looking can help us unlock new meanings with John Singleton Copley’s painting A Boy With A Flying Squirrel. Her results are just astounding. By the way of her rigorous testimonies, she revealed complex layers of context that would have otherwise been missed. She wasted nine minutes just figuring out why the boy’s ear looked like the squirrel’s tummy. This juxtaposition illuminated Copley’s purposeful linkage between human and animal body.
“It took me nine minutes to notice that the shape of the boy’s ear precisely echoes that of the ruff along the squirrel’s belly — and that Copley was making some kind of connection between the animal and the human body and the sensory capacities of each.” – Jennifer Roberts
Roberts’s experience is a reminder that close observation can help us see familiar pieces in new and surprising ways and expand our understanding of art. This approach goes beyond visual art and seeps into most aspects of our lives. It helps aspiring naturalists slow down and become more focused observers.
Clare Bown, an educator and advocate for slow looking, puts a great deal of stock in profound looking. She thinks it’s important for all kinds of discovery. She notes that slow looking isn’t just about spending more time with an object. It’s less about developing specific skills, and more about fostering a mind that always seeks to reflect and discover.
“Slow looking simply requires us to be present, patient and willing to immerse ourselves in the act of observation.” – Clare Bown
Mental Health Benefits
In addition to improving powers of observation, artistic appreciation, and writing expertise, slow looking can have beneficial effects on mental health. According to Dr. Kasper Levin, the warped perceptions of time and space are the source of most mental health conditions. This disruptive impact goes to the core of an individual’s identity. He encourages the use of slow looking techniques. No matter what trauma they’ve experienced, this approach can empower people to reclaim their realities and contribute to a deeper sense of wholeness and order.
“Many mental health conditions are linked to disrupted perceptions of time and space, which affect one’s sense of self. Slow looking may help participants restructure these perceptions, fostering a sense of coherence and stability.” – Dr. Kasper Levin
Even in writing about art, then, the therapeutic aspect of Clothier’s practice is very much alive and at work, too. He’s conducted one-hour meditation sessions in front of various works of art. Designed to spark creativity and wonder, these experiences invite participants to understand and engage with the world around them in new and thoughtful ways.
