Kintsugi - Japanese Influences

Inspired by a conversation with two ceramic artists at a recent art show in Maryland, I learned about the Japanese aesthetic of Kintsugi. I had never heard of this technique before and only after the show did I realize that there is allot to learn about Kintsugi and the related Japanese philosophy of Wabi Sabi.

In the bowl example above, from Brown Dog Clay Studio, you can see the the golden lines which are the Kintsugi repair. In this particular case, the Kintsugi repair and the original splashes of decorative glazes are visually woven together. The Kintsugi repair is an ancient tradition that repairs ceramics by not concealing the repair and instead embracing it as a statement for overcoming a hardship.

Kintsugi translates to “Golden Joinery”. The origins of the Kintsugi go back to an ancient Japan, where a Shogun sought to repair a beloved bowl. When the bowl was first repaired it contained staples to hold the bowl together. The aesthetics of the bowl were lost with the crude repair. He had his artisans provide an alternative that was more aesthetically pleasing. His artisans glued the pieces together with lacquer instead of using staples. Lacquer was a common material at the time that was often used for other decorative objects. At the time lacquer was mainly sourced from tree sap. Combining the sap with gold dust, the broken lines now became something to showcase rather than conceal.

My wife is a glass artist and unknowingly started down a similar artistic direction when she dropped some of her glass jewelry while assembling it. Instead of trying unite the broken pieces together by fusing them in the kiln to conceal the breakage, she made the break lines more pronounced with intention.

Wabi Sabi is another Japanese tradition that is very much related to Kintsugi. It focuses on the transience of the world. Key elements include accepting life’s imperfections and focuses on natural simplicity including naturally occurring imperfections.

Art is often a medium in which different cultures can share their traditions. In a complex modern world, ancient traditions can have renewed relevance and art can help remind us of the beauty in nature and things that are important.