Mindful Looking
Look closely and think deeply about your personal relationship with the natural world. Click play below to experience DRIFT's Meadow through a 5-minute, guided looking experience.
Guided mindful exploration of DRIFT's Meadow
Welcome to this guided, mindful exploration of DRIFT’s Meadow, the artwork in this gallery.
In the next 5 minutes, we’ll slow down, look closely at the art, and explore how it connects with the three themes of this exhibition. You’ll also have an opportunity to reflect on how you personally connect with each of those themes.
To begin, let’s get grounded.
Find yourself in a position where you can comfortably observe this artwork. Sitting, standing, even lying down, with your weight evenly distributed.
Let’s take three deep breaths together.
In
Out
In
Out
In
Out
Now that we’re present in this space, let’s turn our attention to this artwork by DRIFT. I’ll give you some time to look on your own and experience this work fully.
Now, let’s begin our exploration.
Our first theme is form and pattern.
What do you notice about the shapes of this piece? What do they remind you of?
With this work, the artists created oversized flowers that float above us, literally turning the idea of a meadow on its head.
Individual petals come together to create order and symmetry—patterns that produce calming effects on the human body. As you look at this work, what patterns do you see?
Now, let’s take a minute to tune into your body. What feelings or physical sensations arise as you experience this work? Where do you feel them in your body? I’ll give you some time.
Let’s move on to our second theme which explores the processes and phenomena found in nature, such as the changing of the seasons.
What do you notice about the movement of the flowers?
Choose a single flower to focus on. If it feels comfortable for you, breathe in as the flower opens and breathe out as it closes.
Feel your body expand as the flower blooms. And soften as the flower contracts. I’ll give you some time.
The measured and consistent movement of the flowers encourages us to enter a state of soft fascination. Often described as “always changing but always remaining the same,” visuals found in nature can engage our brains gently without requiring hard concentration. This allows our minds to rest and recover.
To create soft fascination in this installation, the artists mimicked the process of flowers that bloom during the day and close at night. Here, that process is accelerated to reflect human rhythms, like heartbeats and breathing. Can you feel the effects of soft fascination in your body?
Now, let’s consider the theme of people and place.
We’ll start by observing the colors of this sculpture. What do you notice about the colors? How do they make you feel?
These colors represent wildflowers native to Colorado.
What feelings or places do these colors evoke for you? Do they remind you of home?
Where do you feel rooted?
To close our exploration, let’s end the way we began, with three deep breaths.
In
Out
In
Out
In
Out
Take a moment to feel the sense of presence that you’ve cultivated through this guided-looking exercise.
May you carry this feeling with you throughout the exhibition and into the rest of your day.
Biophilia: Nature Reimagined is organized by the Denver Art Museum. It is presented with generous funds from Luncheon by Design and the Adolph Coors Exhibition Endowment Fund, the donors to the Annual Fund Leadership Campaign, and the residents who support the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD). Promotional support is provided by 5280 Magazine and CBS Colorado.
