Kintsugi: to repaire with gold

Kintsugi or Kintsukuroi means to repair with gold. Kintsugi is a Japanese technique to repair ceramic objects that have broken, but above all it is an art form. As only Japan can masterfully master the kintsugi, poetry, art, philosophy, aesthetics and a functional aspect are united together. In fact, the idea underlying this repair technique with gold or silver is to make fractures visible, expose them and honor them, celebrate them. An object of value like a ceremonial wabi sabi cup passes from hand to hand to the masters of the tea, breaks and is repaired with a precious metal: gold or silver. Fractures testify to the time that has passed, the encounter with life and the preciousness of history. In this way the broken cup acquires new, unique qualities. There are two types of Kintsugi, modern and traditional, the modern one is the western translation of this ancient art form and involves the use of two-component glue and gold powder, the piece is ready in 24 hours. The traditional method instead requires the use of Urushi lacquer, of vegetable origin and a much longer drying time. Even the aesthetic result is very different.When I have to fix a broken piece I think it will certainly be more fragile but paradoxically it has acquired great strength.