Kintsugi - The Japanese Art and Philosophy of Repair

In Japan, there is the art of Kintsugi (pronounced KIN-SU-G-EE) translated to “Golden Joinery.” It is related to the art of Kintsukuroi (KIN-SU-KU-LO- EE) or “Golden Repair”. This art and philosophy towards life consists of the mending of broken pottery using gold filler to enhance the broken areas. Once the repair is complete, the once broken element takes on a new life that can be viewed as more beautiful than the original work.

Of course, high quality pottery and dish ware is valuable when in pristine condition, however, when the defects are imbued with precious metals, the overall value of the piece is increased. The random fractures of the damage is embraced, thus giving the element a greater sense of character. It is said that the Kintsugi gives the element a story which creates greater value.

Across the globe, dinner ware, coffee and tea placements, and furniture are the necessary elements that bring people together to communicate and share. Kintsugi becomes a part of the conversations similar to the way one would view a painting.

Similar to life, pottery is delicate and easily broken. Also, like life, errors that result in fractures and damage, can be repaired to allow the element to regain its intended function. A good comparison would be that moment when you get in that first argument with a friend and significant other. Once that occurs, you are able to mend fences and move forward. There is now a greater understanding of another human being; their complex thoughts and feelings revealed and accepted. This notion of fragment and restoration is critical to building and maintaining healthy relationships.

A shattered bowl that is glued back together without accentuating the ruptured seam lacks the addition of value that is key to Kintsugi. Making the damage a prominent feature of the piece is the means to magically inspire new life. This is similar to the second act of great theater. The original pottery was molded with care by a craftsperson, Kintsugi, establishes a second act of human interaction with the piece. The story of the bowl was increased by the precious filler material and the human care placed in its repair.

A life well lived can be the same. In a world filled with judgement, cancellations, and absurdities, we are well aware that no one is perfect - That is one consistent trend that has spanned history. In a time where our errors are magnified, the concept of Kintsugi carried tremendous meaning. If the sharks of the world are out to capitalize on the worlds mistakes, it is crucial to elevate our thoughtfulness to a higher level of quality. Fill your life with beauty and creations embellished with hard work and turmoil.

What if those damaged life components lead you on a wonderful adventure? What if those experiences were the precious filler that literally fills your life with more meaning and purpose. When viewed from that elevation and under those terms, we begin to look back and realize that everything that happened along the journey was meant to happen to provide information for the present and future. Therefore, the Kintsugi filler becomes a precise connection between the past and the present. As the element that was once broken continues to exist and function, we can view beyond what was and see directly to what is. Time becomes a marker of value and that value is contained in the present.

When seen from this angle, the past is neither obfuscated or ignored, the fractures are visible in plain sight. With great care and determination to reform the delicate fragments, the element can only be viewed as it currently is, right now in its totality. Every element of the pieces must be taken into consideration since it would be impossible to view the work as disparate parts. Similar to a life that started in innocence, then fractured by our inclination toward imperfection; the refurbished seams exposes the intricate connections that are the stories to be told through real conversation and human interaction.

The next question is the value of the stories embedded within the piece and how those stories are told; This too can be reflective of life. When viewed from the outside, through the solid and symbolic barriers that separate people, any story can be manufactured and told. I see a coffee pot that was mended with a bright gold seam. “An angry old man strolled into the crowded diner and smashed the coffee pot against the wall.” Or, “I spoke quietly to my lover and when moving to embrace, the coffee pot was knocked over, creating a rumble of laughter.”

When viewing a mended piece anything can be said. The thoughts that swim through your mind hold no more value than simple gossip. “But I was there!, I saw the coffee pot shatter!” Indeed. Similar to the multitude of fractured elements and the somewhat randomness of the severed lines, the significant beauty of Kintsugi holds many layers, and many questions. What makes a lighting bolt formulate it’s jagged path? What caused the element to be shattered? What caused the situation leading to its breakage?

My interpretation causes me to think that the ultimate wonder of Kintsugi cannot be the origins, locations, and fracture of the the piece. The truth is embedded within the one that carefully retained the broken bits and stitched them back together, one by one. That is the true story of Kintsugi, the act of repair, the value of the additive material now visible, and the story of the one that performed the work.