Kintsugi is a Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold. It translates from Japanese as “Golden Joinery”. The pure philosophy behind it is surely fascinating. The art of kintsugi was invented around fifteen century. Japanese preferred not to get rid of a broken object but rather repair it and show the beauty behind it.
Kintsugi conveys many messages.
- When an object breaks it mustn’t be considered as useless.
- Repairing things helps us obtain more valuable and unique objects.
- Although people face traumatic events throughout their lives, Kintsugi suggests making the best out of those hardships and look at our lives from a different perspective; how unique and valuable we are.
Urushi lacquer and real powdered gold are the main materials of conducting the repair process. The uniqueness of Urushi lacquer lies in its consistency. It is made from a plant that is related to ivy which in its place is a poisonous plant. The process may cause allergic reactions. The toxic effect vanishes as soon the pottery dries. The lacquer is quite expensive both because of the rare toxic plant and gold in addition.
Many artists use modern materials to create art pieces with similar effects. The only difference is the cost of materials and the availability for more people.
Referneces:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kintsugi
http://www.lifegate.com/people/lifestyle/spider-silk-violin
https://akintsugilife.com/about-kintsugi/