Watercolor Creations of Kyoto’s urban Landscapes and Its Relationship with the Philosophy of Ichi-go Ichi-e

Abstract

This academic paper employs Art-Based Research methodology to propose and justify the Ichi-go Ichi-e Visual Analysis Framework for interpreting the aesthetic and cultural significance of urban landscapes in Kyoto, Japan. The study addresses the gap in scholarship regarding the systematic application of this Japanese philosophy as a framework for visual inquiry. The research utilises watercolour paintings of nine specific Kyoto locations as conceptual practice exemplars to demonstrate the framework’s utility. The primary objectives are: 1) to establish the technical properties of watercolour as a philosophical medium embodying the philosophy of Ichi-go Ichi-e, and 2) to systematically analyse these artworks to interpret how Ichi-go Ichi-e informs the visual recording of unrepeatable encounters and inspiring locations. The findings, generated through a systematic visual analysis framework, confirm that the medium’s fluidity and non-repeatability serve as direct visual metaphors for the philosophy. This paper’s main contribution provides a methodological tool for future Art-Based Research in urban landscape, shifting the philosophical discussion from abstract theory to applied visual analysis.