I have always loved Kintsugi. Those beautiful lines of Urushi lacquer, sometimes mixed with brass or gold replacing the cracks of broken pottery. It’s one of those arts that translates wonderfully into real life, showing there can be beautiful results from breakages and mistakes. And that broken things can be made even better than they were. It’s all part of the Japanese idea of Wabi Sabi, finding beauty in imperfection and flawed objects, something that’s always been part of Zen Buddhism.
Kintsugi is also a wonderful thing when you’ve got favourite pots or plates that are chipped or broken. So I’m really excited we’re now holding a new Kintsugi Workshop, lead by the Master Iku Nishikawa. She is one of the most influential Kintsugi artists in the UK, with totally authentic methods as well as a friendly modern approach. We’ll be using Urushi lacquer as well as brass to bring that special Kintsugi beauty to your chipped and broken pieces. It is a two-and-a-half hour workshop, so please bring a small pot or plate with a simple break to work on. You can read all about the Kintsugi workshop here.
I was very annoyed when my little pot for Gyokuro tea was damaged three years ago, so I was incredibly happy when it was mended with Kintsugi the other day, and now I like it far more than it ever did before. Oh the beauty of Kintsugi!