ART MUSEUMS | How I make the most out of my visit

For artists, museums are sacred grounds. We journey to these places to replenish our creative souls and fill our hearts and minds with beauty. Last weekend we flew to Boston to visit family. I couldn't resist the opportunity to visit the Museum of Fine Art Boston. Growing up in Salzburg, Austria, some of the world's finest art museums were only a train ride away. Experiencing these masterpieces inspired me to pursue the beauty in my art that the masters of the past understood so well. I remember the first of these art expeditions I took by myself, stepping into a monumental museum and not knowing what to expect. I would flitter from one room to the next without a strategy and exhaust myself before reaching many of the works I most wanted to see. In this video I would like to share with you how I planned my visit to MFA and some of my favorite pieces. First, I familiarize myself with a museum online by looking at permanent and current exhibitions on their website. It helps me to know in advance which section I want to focus on and which pieces I don't want to miss. At the museum ticket counter, I always ask for a floor plan to quickly find my high priority sections. I go to these areas first to appreciate the art with fresh energy and an open mind. Afterward, I stroll freely through the other floors and get amazed and surprised by the pieces. It is important to be okay not having to see the entire museum in one visit. I usually skip some rooms that don't speak to me as much. Having that mindset helps me not rush through but experience the art in a more relaxing way. I was looking forward to seeing the head of Aphrodite from the early Hellenistic period, about 330 to 300 BC. I love to take my time when approaching a piece of art I admire. Being in the presence of an original ancient masterpiece feels like everything is coming to a halt. The timeless quality of its beauty speaks from thousands of years ago to me today. The feeling is one of awe and strange intimacy. True to her nature, she exceeded my expectations. Her head's gentle tilt, soft facial features, and intricate hairstyle were carved with so much care and admiration, making her a manifestation of beauty. The Greeks believed that beauty reminds us of the heavenly truth. Socrates taught that objects of beauty make souls remember heaven, they are overcome with divine love, and potentially regain their wings. The MFA Boston has a very elaborate collection of Asian art so I was looking forward to seeing Buddhist art of Indian, Chinese, and Japanese traditions. I was elated to come to this depiction of Buddha Maitreya, or future Buddha of the world, a sculpture of the Greco-Buddhist tradition of Gondara. I only saw it in books before and finally got to experience the original, a breathtaking piece of a kingly being. Buddhists believe that Buddha Maitreya will descend to earth and preach the teachings of the highest Buddha. I also spent time with sculptures of different eastern traditions like this Japanese depiction of Buddha, a piece of radiating compassion. For the rest of my day, I looked at Italian renaissance art. When I see the excellence of these renaissance paintings, I always think of Leonardo da Vinci's words at the end of his life, quote, I have offended God and mankind for my work has not reached the quality it should have, end quote. These words represent masters who dedicated their lives to something more significant than themselves. A museum visit always reminds me of that kind of greatness. These master artists were also just people who weren't born masters, but worked hard to create beauty for humankind and show how we all are part of divine creation.