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What did you do while you queued up for your coffee this morning? Do you remember the colour of the cafe's walls or the barista’s apron? If not, you aren’t alone. In an increasingly hectic world, most of us find ourselves too busy to pay attention to such detail, instead we automatically pull out our mobile devices.

However as part of a series of events to encourage people to slow down , the Cultural Precinct is hosting a special tour at the Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery.

Going Slow is a new take on the exhibition tour. After an introduction on how to observe and handing in all mobile devices, attendees will choose five works from the current exhibitions to observe for five minutes each.

“Much like a mindfulness session where you focus on your breathing, in this case, you settle on the art”, says Caine Chennatt who will facilitate the tour.

“This isn't about the art per se - though the works on show are certainly a visual feast - it is about the art of seeing. I’m curious about the discussion we have afterwards, to find out what emerges in our minds during those five-minute blocks.”

“What happens when you are present in a scenario long enough - in this case looking at an artwork for five minutes - that you start to see something new?”

The event is part of the international Slow Art Day event where people all over the world visit galleries and museums to look at art slowly. According to one study published in the journal Empirical Studies of the Arts, museum-goers spend mere seconds looking at individual works in an exhibition.

“When you consider that our society misguidedly tends to admire multi-tasking and the act of being ‘busy’, this event is about acknowledging the value of slowing down, pausing to reflect, and observing the world around us with awareness,” says Caine.

“None of this is new of course, but a reminder every now and then never hurts, particularly in this age we are in. I think what the essayist Marcel Proust said really sums up this event. The real act of discovery consists not in finding new lands but in seeing with new eyes.”

Going Slow Tour takes place on Saturday 11:30am at the Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery. To find out more and to register: lwag1607.eventbrite.com