By: Maggie Hong

The 10 minute art challenge, popularized by the New York Times, asks you to spend 10 minutes with one painting, uninterrupted. Usually, people only look at paintings for a minute or so, if that. Even if you study a painting repeatedly, spending uninterrupted time with it gives you a whole new perspective. As you look at the painting for ten whole minutes, you will probably find your eyes drawn to details you didn’t see at first. You may also find you see the painting differently; with changing focal points, colors, and even movement within it. Spending this time with a piece of art not only helps you to learn about art and expand your attention span, but to relax and ground yourself.

I tried this challenge at a common starting point: ‘The Starry Night’ by Vincent van Gogh. I love van Gogh’s style, and this painting has always been a favorite of mine.

When I started the challenge, I was a bit worried I’d get bored. My eyes didn’t really focus on a specific spot, instead they wandered around the canvas. But as I stuck with it, things started to jump out at me. I noticed the texture of the paint, and that colors I’d once thought were blues were actually shades of green and brown. I also felt my breathing slow down, and my body relax. Because I was focused on this one task, my mind had a clear directive: only think about this painting. It didn’t have time to wander to other worries or annoying thoughts, or even to get bored.

Overall, I think this is a great challenge for everyone to try. I was surprised by how calming and centering it was, and I noticed lots of new things about a great piece of art. You can try this with any piece, whether it has a lot of things to look at, like ‘The Starry Night’, or not very many. You can also adjust the timing; sit for only 5 minutes, or as long as you want. Find an art piece and give it a try!