Kintsugi (金継ぎ) or literally “golden joinery” is the Japanese art of repairing pottery with lacquer and golden powder. The philosophy of kintsugi sees the breakage as a part of the history of the object and exactly because of this seeks its beauty instead of hiding the defect or disposing the object.

Screen Shot 2014-11-25 at 14.06.53

The video below shows the patient one-month work for the repair of this bowl.

The master of kintsugi has followed these steps:

Gluing with flour and Japanese lacquer

Screen Shot 2014-11-25 at 14.21.51

Using this mixture

Screen Shot 2014-11-25 at 16.43.15

To mend the broken parts

Screen Shot 2014-11-25 at 14.09.42

First like this

Screen Shot 2014-11-25 at 14.23.16

Then a week later to polish the surface

Screen Shot 2014-11-25 at 14.24.12

And fill in the gaps

Screen Shot 2014-11-25 at 14.26.48

Using wood powder and lacquer again

Screen Shot 2014-11-25 at 14.27.26

Carefully going through the breakage

Screen Shot 2014-11-25 at 14.30.32

Until it’s safely put together, polished and covered with black lacquer

Screen Shot 2014-11-25 at 14.30.59

Polished again and then covered with red lacquer

Screen Shot 2014-11-25 at 14.34.27

And finally, on top, the golden powder.

Screen Shot 2014-11-25 at 14.34.11

The kintsugi art – a beautiful metaphor for healing broken parts, can teach us a lot.

Source: 金継ぎ