A mindful look at the curious collections of Jan van Kessel the Elder

Delight in the critters and flowers of Jan van Kessel the Elder in this online mindfulness session.

In his series, ‘Two Paintings of Insects and Small Flowers’, this 17th-century Flemish artist depicts a kaleidoscope of life. Reflecting the contemporary interest in cabinets of curiosities, or ‘Kunstkammer’, van Kessel brings together a seemingly random assortment of life, but look closely and you can appreciate the incredible detail of his work. A similar subject can also be found in the ukiyo-e prints of 17th-19th century Japan, which include haiku poetry on the theme of insects to inspire close looking and contemplation.

Art historian and mindfulness practitioner Kary Allen is your guide as we bring these two moments together. Discover why this subject has fascinated so many across cultures and centuries. Join us to collect and savour nature’s small details.

Mindfulness is a meditative practice which focuses on being aware of what you are sensing and feeling without judgement. No previous experience of mindfulness is needed. We invite you to find a quiet space for this reflective and restorative session.

Karly Allen has 25 years' experience of designing and facilitating art engagement programmes for museum collections, with a focus on the art of close looking. Karly enriches her teaching with her training as a mindfulness teacher and drawing practitioner. Through her work with Limina Collective, she contributes to the emerging international field of mindfulness in museums.

A recording of this event will be made available to all ticket holders in the days following the event.

This recording will be available for two weeks.

Automatic closed captioning is available for this event.