Kintsugi Art

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About Kintsugi

　The art of revival: Kintsugi is not merely a technique used to fix or repair an item; rather, it transforms your broken pottery or porcelain into art. Instead of trying to hide or disguise these scars, they are highlighted and changed into something that is beautiful in and of itself. These imperfections or cracks occur naturally through use. They are what is called wabi-sabi: beauty that is “imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete.”

　100% natural glue – urushi: Only organic urushi is used in the kintsugi process. Urushi is a traditional Japanese lacquer, derived from the urushi tree. Chemical glues are often toxic, but you can use Kintsugi bowls and plates to hold food or drink: all materials used are natural and non-toxic.

　Real gold or silver: In the final process, all cracked or chipped marks are decorated with real gold or silver. We only use 24K gold and sterling silver.

　Detailed skill and finishing: Japanese culture values harmony. The balance of beauty is created by and carefully evaluating each piece. The work is finished by polishing it with very fine powder.

　Cherish your item: In Japanese culture, many inanimate objects are said to have spirits. This belief is important to the Kintsugi technique. Give thanks to your item, the process by which your item came to you, the time which you spend with your item, and the responsibility to keep cherishing it. The item will generate happiness in others and in turn bring you happiness.

　Mottainai: This Japanese word translates to “a sense of sin to throw away something and one of regret over waste.” This concept encourages strict and advanced recycling systems in Japan. Think “mottainai” to be inspired by this philosophy.

About Urushi

　History: The Japanese have used urushi for over 9000 years. People knew urushi made things very strong. They coated their everyday goods and ritual utensils with urushi and used it as an all-purpose glue. Nowadays, we still use urushi to coat tableware, create art, preserve historical architecture, and so on.

　Precious material: Urushi is produced by scratching the surface of the urushi trees’ trunks by urushi-kaki artisans. They can get only a single teaspoon’s amount of urushi from one scratch, and the total production of urushi from one tree is 200ml. Gold is precious, but urushi is also a very precious material.

　Chemical–free: Dried urushi is not soluble in hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid or aqua regia.

　Antibacterial effect: In new year celebrations, the Japanese have kept various food in exquisite bento boxes coated with urushi and eaten from them (Osechi) for 3-4 days before the era of refrigeration. The antibacterial effect of urushi enables it to preserve the freshness of food items. When bacteria such as E. coli, MRSA, salmonella and Vibrio parahaemolytics are left on the surface of dried urushi, they decrease to half their original amount in 4 hours, and disappear completely in 24 hours.

About the Artist

　Shuichi was born in Japan and was heavily involved in various arts throughout his life. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology which allowed him to delve deeper into understanding human cognition, perception, and expression. This allowed him to develop expertise in giving artistic advice to people seeking guidance in choosing which art pieces to invest in. His careful observation of people and consideration of their interests, interior design and artistic tastes was especially useful in his career as an art dealer and a Kintsugi artist.
　The Kintsugi technique of giving new artistic life to previously fragmented pieces is appealing to Shuichi because this process represents healing oneself. It is important to note that the purpose of Kintsugi is not to repair items – it is an artistic tradition rooted in the philosophy of wabi sabi – the acceptance of imperfection and change.
　Shuichi has been practicing Kintsugi in Japan since 2005. He continued this practice upon moving to Toronto in 2019 and hopes to bring greater awareness and appreciation to this unique Japanese art. His other passions include Bizen ware pottery, as well as the philosophies of Zen and Vipassana meditation.

Price

　To receive an approximate quote, please send photos of your items with measurements via our contact information page.
To receive a final quote: Mail or bring it to our atelier. Postage is at the cost of customers.

How to measure chipped or parts missing items