Mindful Moments #7 Handfulness – Southampton City Art Gallery

Mindful Moments #7 Handfulness

6 Apr 2021

Unless you are floating in space, our tactile sense is being constantly activated in life, as we are always in contact with something, whether walking, sitting, laying. We become so used to it, that it is easy to lose a subtler sensation of it, especially over everyday things we come in contact with. 

In this week’s Mindful Moment exercise ‘Handfulness’, we use our hands to explore artwork and experience art from a different perspective. This exercise is useful in increasing sensitivity to touch and can be very relaxing for people who feel excessively visually stimulated. It can be an effective way to feel grounded and calm.

‘Handfulness’ requires an artwork that has a solid shape, such as a sculpture or figurine, though it can work with many everyday objects and works best with something that has lots of variety in its form or texture.

Listen to Exercise 7: Handfulness here

Read Exercise 7: Handfulness here

For inspiration for the exercise we’ve shared the bust of Major Smythies, sculpted by Gaudier Brzeska from the Galleries Collection.

View highlights from our collection

Explore our collection on the Art UK website

Henri Gaudier Brezeska, Major Smythies. Brone bust. Image © Southampton Cultural Services

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