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In art, I made a piece that was supposed to recognize both the art of Kintsugi and the restoration of Japan after the war. I did this by breaking a tea bowl, which is a symbol of Japanese society, and then repairing it through the art of Kintsugi. Within the bowl, I constructed a small mushroom cloud. This was supposed to represent the destruction caused by the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but also the hope and regeneration located in those areas.

Kintsugi is a traditional Japanese craft that involves the repair of broken ceramics; however, the technique has direct connotations to the societal culture of the country. The art of Kintsugi is a rather simple principle when broken down. A broken ceramic, whether it is a tea bowl or plate, is reassembled; the cracks are filled with a lacquer, making the lines where the ceramic broke visible. This differs from the western idea of “fixing” an object, because the adhesive that unites the ceramic is evident.

 

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How to turn the Broken into the Beautiful
The Art of Kintsugi.

River's project looks at the Japanese art of Kintsugi, a technique used to repair broken ceramics. 

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