The Beauty of Brokenness: A Look at Kintsugi

Kintsugi is an ancient Japanese practice of repairing ceramic with gold leaf. The word itself translates to “golden joinery”. The art form transforms broken tea cups, bowls, and vases that might otherwise be discarded. Instead, the shards are pieced back together into an iteration that is not only beautiful but functional once again. The practice reveals the lesson that even with the damage, objects remain valuable and do not succumb to disrepair. The same notion can be applied to humanity. When faced with obstacles, trauma, and/ or adversity, with patience and hard work, healing and growth can take place. The contrast between life’s fragility and capacity for healing is personified in the art form.

The present appropriation of Kintsugi has drawn criticism. While being thought to have originated in the 16th century, Kintsugi has become more well-known in the 20th century. Mass-made kits makes it easier for anyone to participate in the craft without understanding its cultural origins. Today, kits consist of gold leaf, tools, and broken ceramic that can be bought at storefronts and even on Amazon. 

Somerset House senior curator Claire Catterall notes “one hundred years ago, so many people had the skills to mend things, and they were passed down from generation to generation. And not only the skills but also the tools”

The time-consuming process of Kintsugi has diminished over time. It is now much simpler to fix cracked pottery thanks to the development of plastic, resin, and epoxy, particularly with the availability of Kintsugi kits. As a result, the art of Kintsugi has lost its association with its Japanese roots.

Nowadays, you can find Kintsugi’s pop-culture impact everywhere, from Martha Stewart tutorials to music by Lana Del Rey. White cultural curators have taken the art form out of its significant ancient context. While the aforementioned women may have spread the idea of Kintsugi, they detract from its spiritual origins. Especially since both Del Rey and Stewart have encountered an instance of promoting cultural ignorance. 

In a 2021 Instagram post entitled, “Question for the Culture”, Lana criticized the raunchy music, appearances, and behaviors of WOCi n the industry, saying that no one questions it. She received immense backlash for her commentary in which she responded that her artistry is subject to a double standard. While her career as a visionary is impactful I am a big fan myself, one cannot erase her status as a straight cis white woman criticizing marginalized communities. Concerning Kintsugi, what gives her the right to utilize the practice in her art when she actively attacks disenfranchised groups? 

Similarly, Martha Stewart has made an abundance of racist comments throughout her decades-long career. It is a probiotic double standard to offend POC and then adopt their practices for capitalist gain. 

Concerns have also been raised about the usage of Kintsugi as a means of idealizing rather than accepting imperfection. This might cause people to overly appreciate their own shortcomings and deficiencies and fail to take meaningful action to address them. Placing imperfections in an excessively positive light may lead to failure in taking effective action to rectify them.

Kintsugi is aesthetically pleasing. More importantly, teaches us a great lesson about accepting ourselves as we are and embracing our flaws.  It serves as a reminder that even after harm, anything may be fixed and meaningfully put back together. Our blemishes and cracks make us who we are, we grow from our struggles and breakage. In this manner, Kintsugi offers validation for embracing our vulnerabilities as what makes us, us.

The concept of Kintsugi reminds us how to accept our mistakes and draw strength from them. The gold crevices serve as a reminder that life can be fragile but also dynamic at times. This art form is claimed to embody the concept of “wabi-sabi,” which refers to appreciating beauty in all of its manifestations, even those with flaws or defects. Kintsugi reminds us to celebrate our differences from one another and grow to appreciate our humanity by bringing these shortcomings to light.

Ultimately, Kintsugi is a fascinating art form, but it’s essential to acknowledge how it’s been appropriated. Additionally, it is crucial to go beyond idealizing flaws and actually embrace them as a form of positive change. It may nonetheless be appreciated and utilized while also being respected for its cultural significance and origins.