金継
Experience the Japanese art of kintsugi
What is kintsugi?
Kintsugi (or kintsukuroi) is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold and acknowledging that it is more beautiful for having been broken. Repairing cracks, chips, holes or even missing pieces serves to highlight the unique beauty found only in imperfection - and to celebrate, rather than to mourn it.
History:
In the late 15th century, Japanese craftsmen used urushi (tree sap lacquer) and real gold powder to repair ceramics. Whilst beautiful and strong, this method was time consuming, required very specific conditions and the Zen like skill of an artisan, skills which were passed down through generations of the same family. It was also extremely expensive and available only to the wealthy.
Over time, faster acting adhesives and mica powders have simplified the
process and considerably reduced the cost. Modern kintsugi repair may take no more than a day or two where it used to take months.
It remains, nonetheless, a delicate technique which requires patience and expertise to complete to a high standard.
"No art or learning is to be pursued half heartedly…and any art worth learning will reward the effort made to study it."
Murasaki Shikibu
(973 -1o14 AD)
Kintsugi philosophy
" We are all a little bit cracked...it's how the light gets in."
The art of kintsugi is appreciated as much today for its philosophical value as for its practical application. Kintsugi teaches us to view life through a different lens - one where broken things are not seen as useless (and therefore disposable) but as even more precious.
By applying that very metaphor to ourselves we can begin to appreciate our own individuality and celebrate our differences.
The scars we bear are an important part of our history - we are made stronger and more beautiful for having them.
Kintsugi Fusion
At Kintsugi Fusion we've put a twist on the ancient Japanese art, merging old with new, East with West.
Discover our range of distinctive gifts and houseware items created from damaged and pre-loved ceramics.
Every break is different.
And so is every repair, ensuring that no two kintsugi pieces are alike.
We marry traditional craftsmanship with modern aesthetics, creating one of a kind pieces from recycled ceramics.
Creating new from old
Recycling and repurposing is not a new concept. Throughout history people have found ways to extend the life of their possesions, either for
sentimental reasons or through necessity.
Make do and mend and upcycling are terms familiar to the modern world and close to our hearts here at Kintsugi Fusion.
We take pre-loved items and proudly
highlight all their scars and weaknesses.
Nothing is wasted, not even the tiniest fragments. Leftover ceramic pieces are made available to crafters, finding new purpose in mosaics and art installations.
We try to use recycled goods in all our products.