The Book of Ichigo Ichie: The Art of Making the Most of Every Moment, the Japanese Way

by Héctor García

• One mistake often made in a museum is wanting to “see it all,” since most of us have a limited attention span. After fifty or sixty works, or maybe fewer, it’s easy to feel tired and overwhelmed. To avoid this, it’s best to choose just one part of the collection, or even the works of a particular artist who interests us. • During your visit, choose three to five paintings that stood out for you. If there’s a place to sit in front of a painting, as is often the case with important works, even better. • Take at least five minutes to look at each of these paintings. Once you’ve seen a painting as a whole, focus on the details, allowing yourself to be absorbed in the canvas, as if you were part of it. • Then, ask yourself questions like these: What story is this painting trying to tell? What might have inspired the painter? What kind of feelings does the painting inspire? Is there anything here that I can connect to my life? If it happens to be an abstract painting, focus on the last two questions. • Before leaving the museum, if you can buy postcards of these paintings in the museum store, you can use them later as a reminder of the ichigo ichie moment you had looking at them.