Mindfulness and meditation can now be found as remedies to everyday stress in almost any aspect of life – whether exercise or a pre-bedtime ritual. Nico Rönpagel’s approach, however, is relatively new: he has decided to conduct meditation workshops in places that exhibit art. Actually, it’s an obvious choice, because rooms in galleries are usually quiet, large and bright – the perfect places to practice relaxation and gratitude. Nevertheless, on the morning of the first course, I was a bit skeptical about doing it with 20 strangers in just an hour. But Nico, who has been practicing meditation for more than 20 years, explains that this event in the newly renovated Me Collectors Room is intended as an introduction. For the first session, participants directed their focus to a work of art from the current exhibition, “Beyond”. Rönpagel’s partner exercises were also fun and integrated the exhibition at a very relaxed pace. After the session, the participants and the surroundings already felt familiar – and I myself felt collected and connected. Register now for the two follow-up sessions if you are looking for an introduction to meditation – it’s worth it, in no small measure because of the great setting. And naturally, you can stick around to take a closer look at the exhibition afterwards. (Text: Hanna Komornitzyk / Photos: Nico Rönpagel & Eric Bell)