Kintsugi
for Life

Make and break

I can’t remember how I came across this art form but it was likely a result of my obsessive Googling for things to do in Japan. Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer dusted with powdered gold, but this practice is actually quite popular among other Asian cultures and dates back to the 15th century. The idea behind it is quite elegant: Embrace the imperfect.

Instructors Yoshiichiro (L) and Yoshiko (R) Kuge in their studio

I attended a workshop taught by Yoshiichiro and Yoshiko Kuge, two veterans in the ceramics world. I chose to repair a traditional Japanese tea cup because it reminded me of a tea set my grandparents owned.

The technique I learned was a simplified version of Kintsugi. I suspect the real version involves years of training, patience and muscle memory.