Has the Beauty of Healing in its Nature

Dating back to the 15th century, Kintsugi, also known as “Kintsukuroi,” is mending broken porcelain or ceramic pieces using gold. It may appear to be a repairing method merely, but Kintsugi is a Japanese art form with a philosophy. “Kin” means gold, “tsugi” means to join, and Kintsugi means “golden joinery” in Japanese.

Embrace Flaws

Kintsugi is based on the Japanese philosophy known as “Wabi-Sabi”, that is, “to embrace the flaws”. Whether it is broken pieces of a ceramic bowl or a teacup, rather than allowing its service to end at the time of breakage, Kintsugi brings objects back to life with skilful hands accompanied by the belief that it deserves a second chance.   

Where Ceramics Meet Gold

With the Kintsugi tradition, broken ceramics and porcelain are still mended today using lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, bronze or platinum and brought back to a new life, which is more original, more aesthetic and more valuable than before. In fact, some contemporary Japanese artists break objects on purpose, re-glue them and create beautiful works of art in order to perform Kintsugi. In short, Kintsugi represents the rebirth of objects.