About the Exhibition

In 2019, I moved from Japan to Canada and began repairing cherished ceramics for people from many different cultural backgrounds. As I listened to the stories behind each object, I realized that I was repairing far more than broken pottery. Many pieces had travelled across oceans, been carefully stored for decades after breaking, and remained deeply connected to memories of family, homeland, and identity.

These experiences led me to create Kintsugi: In Praise of Cultural Resilience, an immersive installation presented at Nuit Blanche Toronto 2024. Rather than exhibiting kintsugi as a craft, the project explored how repaired heirlooms can reveal the cultural memories and personal histories they carry.

Visitors first followed a dimly lit path of stories printed on the floor, tracing the journeys of immigrant families and the memories attached to each object. They then encountered the repaired heirlooms displayed in illuminated cases before entering a separate Zen Room designed for quiet reflection. Those who wished could leave written reflections, contributing their own experiences to a growing collective narrative.

The exhibition invited visitors to consider not only the objects themselves, but also the memories, relationships, and cultural identities people choose to preserve across generations. Through kintsugi, the work explored how repair can become an act of remembering, continuity, and hope.

Repair Stories

[India → Canada] The Last Birthday

“This might be the last birthday we celebrate together.”

Read Story

This tea set was bought by my parents when they got married in India and was only used on special occasions. On my 20th birthday, I argued with them. Birthdays felt like just another day, so I didn’t want to celebrate. But they insisted, saying, “This might be the last birthday we celebrate together.” They were right; we never celebrated another birthday together.

After my parents passed, I moved to Canada and brought the tea set. Every time I look at it, I’m reminded of them.

In Canada, I still used the tea set for special occasions. However, one day, when I invited a neighbor over for tea, I broke the spout by accident. I was heartbroken and felt guilty. My parents had used it for over 30 years without incident, but I was the one who broke it. I couldn’t throw it away, so I kept it for 15 years. It was part of me, and it was my parents’ possession.

Once it’s repaired, I’ll likely use it not just for special occasions, but more frequently—perhaps when I’m feeling nostalgic. I expect I’ll use it much more often than before.

This teapot will be passed down to my adoptive nieces and nephews, who are the children of my friends. I want them to feel a sense of continuity with history. To those who understand that this isn’t something newly bought but something filled with history, it holds great value. Most people don’t have anything that comes from two generations ago. So, for someone who appreciates history, having something that’s been passed down in the family has deep meaning, even if it’s an adoptive family — the value is still there.

—Anonymous

[Kenya → Canada]: A Homeland on the Shelf

“We kept the broken pieces for over 15 years, holding onto the hope that one day we could have them repaired.”

Read Story

The chess set was made in Kenya, my parents’ birthplace, from Kisii soapstone. It was given to them in Nairobi before they immigrated to Canada in 1983.

After moving to Canada, my parents relocated four more times before finally settling in Toronto. The chess set was one of the few decorative items they brought with them to remind them of their homeland. It was always displayed on a games table. Every time they looked at it, it reminded them of everything and everyone they had left behind in Kenya, as well as the warmth of the equatorial climate. 

However, Kisii soapstone is soft and fragile, and with each move, some of the pieces broke. The chess set holds great sentimental value, so it was heartbreaking when the pieces were damaged. We kept the broken pieces for over 15 years, holding onto the hope that one day we could have them repaired.

We are thrilled the chess pieces has been repaired so beautifully and seamlessly. We are glad we kept the broken pieces for decades and never gave up hope that they could be fixed. 

My brother and I share the chess set and we will definitely keep it in our family and pass it down to our children. We hope our children will know about our family’s unique migratory path from Gujarat, India to Kenya to Canada. We hope they will retain knowledge of our cultural heritage, including food, language, attire, and religious celebrations. 

—Anjli Patel on behalf of the Patel family

[Japan → Canada] Across the Ocean

“Even though she didn’t say much, I understood the deeper meaning—to live a diligent and steady life like these cats.”

Read Story

This cat couple was given to me by my sister as a wedding gift 49 years ago. Shortly after the wedding, I immigrated to Canada. My husband packed the cats and sent them ahead of us, but unfortunately, the male figure broke upon arrival due to poor packing. I was incredibly disappointed and upset with him for not packing it properly.

When I first arrived in Canada, I couldn’t speak English. It was a difficult time, adjusting to a new life and studying English at school.

My sister chose this cat couple because their calm demeanor and sharp yet elegant appearance reminded her of me and my husband. Even though she didn’t say much, I understood the deeper meaning — to live a diligent and steady life like these cats.

The cats have been with me every day since then, and whenever I look at them, I think of my sister and wish for her health, even though she is far away.

It will be passed down to my children, and it will likely serve as a reminder of me. 

I hope they don’t forget the Japanese spirit, including kindness, maintaining order, and living with constant thoughtfulness for others, like the concept of “Ishin Denshin” (communicating from the heart without words).

—Yoko Tokue (徳江要子) and Masao Tokue (徳江正夫)

[England → Canada] A Name Passed Down

“This piece has been passed down from generation to generation, to each person who has the name ‘Laurie.’”

Read Story

This piece has been passed down from generation to generation, to each person who has the name “Laurie.” My name is Margaret Laurie Buckworth, my father is John Laurie Buckworth, and my grandmother was Ena Laurie Buckworth. Her mother was Laurie Forwood.

My father brought this bowl from his homeland, England, to Canada in 1959. A few years ago, when my parents downsized and moved to a senior centre, he gave it to me.

However, a wine bottle was dropped on it, and it broke about a year ago. I was very upset, and felt ashamed. I also thought that I had let down my family.

This bowl has been beautifully repaired through Kintsugi, and I felt that it would bring more history and connection. I lived in Japan, so I feel it now also carries a little of my personal history.

This bowl will be passed to my niece, Zoe Laurie Buckworth, along with the long history of our family.

—Margaret Buckworth

[England → Canada] The Sole Survivor

“This vase was the only item that survived the journey by ship.”

Read Story

This vase was made over 100 years ago by Keeling & Co., the company owned by my mother’s grandmother’s family in England.

My grandmother owned this vase, and my mother always loved it.

My grandmother passed away in 1935 when my mother was 15 years old.

After the war, my mother and father moved to Canada, bringing all of their precious keepsakes with them. This vase was the only item that survived the journey by ship. Growing up, I always loved the vase and the story behind it.

When my mother passed away, I inherited the vase.

It was always kept safely in a cabinet, away from little hands.

Unfortunately, the shelf it was on fell unexpectedly, and the vase shattered into many pieces.

I was devastated.

I began researching Kintsugi and found an artisan in Japan, but I couldn’t bring myself to send the vase. It stayed in a box for years.

I found Shuichi on Instagram and I knew I had found the right person. Some of the process was published on Instagram so I was able to see the great care that Shuichi took with my vase. 

The finished product looks amazing and I am thrilled that we still have this special vase to appreciate.

—Pat Tapper

Zen Room

Visitor Reflections

Exhibition Gallery

Impact

Looking Forward

🇯🇵日本語を読むにはスクロールして下さい。

Exhibition Information

・Title:Kintsugi: In Praise of Cultural Resilience
・Date:October 5, 7 PM – October 6, 7 AM
・Location:Cecil Community Centre, 58 Cecil St, Toronto, ON M5T 1N6
https://maps.app.goo.gl/wPRgAZsboLpeykZn8

Concept

As the only traditional Kintsugi Artist and Instructor in Canada, I have repaired many ceramic pieces while promoting traditional Japanese culture. Canada is a country of immigrants, and people bring their most precious things with them from all over the world. These things are family heirlooms, mementos, or symbols – their connection to home. When these items break, they cannot simply throw them away, so they keep them, in some cases for decades. When these things break, there is a sadness, a deep pain, as if their connection to their roots was severed. By repairing and returning these items, I have witnessed the joy of people reconnecting with their distant homelands and ancestors, and the bright hope of passing these items on to the next generation.
The theme of this year’s Nuit Blanche art festival, hosted by the City of Toronto, is “Bridging Distance.” This project will be the world’s first kintsugi installation exhibition based on the activity of bridging the imagined distance between immigrants and their homelands.
In this exhibition, viewers will walk along a path printed with the memories of the owners’ hometowns and the item. The path is dimly lit, and as viewers lower their heads and walk slowly, they will experience the loneliness and heartache of the owners when the item broke. As they proceed, they will arrive at a display stand brightly lit like a celebration, showcasing the repaired item. Here, they will look up at the joy of reconnecting with their roots and the hope of passing their precious thing or things on to the next generation, drawing inspiration from the resilience of immigrants.
This exhibition will not only tell the story of the item and roots but also reflect the difficulties immigrants face in integrating into Canadian society. Furthermore, at the back of the exhibition space, meditation rooms will be set up where visitors can reflect on themselves. After engaging with the stories of various immigrants, visitors might think, “I have something broken that needs to be repaired,” or “I was once broken but have been mended.” This “something” could be a physical object, or it might be their heart or memories. In the meditation room, visitors can sit on tatami mats and meditate in front of a kintsugi-repaired mirror, confronting emotions and memories that arise from deep within. If necessary, they can write down these thoughts on paper. By stepping into a narrative direction, this exhibition aims to deeply move visitors emotionally in a way that has never been done before.

Nuit Blanche Official Website: https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/festivals-events/nuitblanche/all-art-projects/
Kintsugica is on the second page, number [70]  

Kintsugi Livestreaming

Everyone is welcome to participate in this project before Nuit Blanche begins. The restoration process of the collected broken pottery will be live-streamed on Instagram and YouTube. No matter if you will be attending in person or where you are located, you can observe the quiet and slow restoration process — much like the recovery of our own bodies and minds.

The schedule will be announced on July 28th. Please follow the accounts below and stay tuned.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kintsugica/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@kintsugica

🇯🇵　Japanese　🇯🇵

《 展示内容 》

私達はトロントで活動する金継ぎアトリエ、Kintsugicaです。
この度、現代アートの祭典Nuit Blancheにおいて、移民の人々が母国から持ってきた器の文化と物語に焦点を当てた世界初の金継ぎインスタレーション展『Kintsugi: In Praise of Cultural Resilience』を開きます。
本展示は単なるアート展示ではなく、それぞれの器たちの物語や文化に焦点を当てて文化のレジリエンスを祝福すると共に、本物の金継ぎと日本文化への理解を深める仕組みにもなっています。
本展示で、鑑賞者は器の所有者の故郷と器に関する思い出が床に印刷された小道を進みます。この道は薄暗く、鑑賞者自身も頭を垂れてゆっくり歩を進めることで器の所有者の孤独感や器が割れた心痛を追体験します。小道を進むと、祝福のように明るく照らされた金継ぎされた器の展示台に辿り着きます。そこではルーツと再び繋がった喜びと、その器（文化）を更に次世代に繋いでゆく希望を仰ぎ見、移民のレジリエンスにインスピレーションを得ることとなります。これは単に器やルーツだけでなく、移民してカナダに溶け込むまでの過程での困難も重ね合わせた物語となるでしょう。ただ金継ぎ作品を展示するのではなく、大きくナラティブ方面に踏み込むことで、訪問者の感情を揺さぶる今までにない展示となるはずです。
金継ぎアーティストShuichiについては、当WebsiteのAbout Artistかトロント商工会／TORJAの記事をご覧下さい。

《 プロジェクト概要 》

タイトル: Kintsugi: In Praise of Cultural Resilience
日程: 10月5日 午後7時 ～ 10月6日 午前7時
場所: Cecil Community Centre 58 Cecil St. Toronto, ON

《 Nuit Blanche での展示「Kintsugi: In Praise of Cultural Resilience」について 》

今年のNuit Blancheのテーマは「Bridging Distance」であり、本展示では移民の人々が壊れて尚肌身離さず保管している故郷の品に焦点を当てました。
それらを金継ぎし、その背後にあるストーリーと共に展示することで、離れても壊れても途絶えることなく受け継がれてゆく文化やルーツのレジリエンスの賛歌としてインスタレーション展示を行います。

《 Nuit Blanche について 》

Nuit Blancheは北米最大のコンテンポラリーアートの祭典であり、日没から日の出までの12時間に、GTA各地で各アートプロジェクトを見て回ることができます。
100万人以上の訪問者と4億ドル以上の経済効果をもたらします。
▶ 公式ページ: https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/festivals-events/nuitblanche/

《 本プロジェクトの意義 》

このプロジェクトは、多くの意義を持っています。
1．いまだ知名度のない金継ぎを、トロント市のフェスティバルにおいて紹介できること。
（金継ぎは単なる修理技術ではなく、アートであり、セラピーであり、人生に知恵を与えてくれる哲学でもあります。）
2．世界初の金継ぎインスタレーション展であること
3．カナダ特有の多文化共生と移民たちの文化的レジリエンスを祝福するものであること
4．サスティナビリティを実現するインスピレーションとアイディアを与えるものであること。
5．金継ぎへの文化の盗用に対するカウンターとなること。
特に、5に関してはKintsugicaが長く戦ってきたものになるため、本物の金継ぎを大々的に広めることができる本展示は、北米における金継ぎの歴史上とても重要な意味を持ちます。詳しくは、こちらのページの「IV.対文化の盗用という意義」をご覧下さい。

《 ご支援のお願い 》

この展示を成功させるために、多くのモノと人手、スキルを必要とします。
しかし、あまりに斬新な試みのためか、最後までスポンサーがつかず、約160万円が自腹となっています。そこで会期まで2週間という超短期決戦となりますが、クラウドファンディングを立ち上げました。
コーヒー代程度でも大きな励みになるので、ぜひご協力＆お友達やご家族にシェア頂けると嬉しいです。

・GoFundMeページでの支援＆シェア: 100円（1カナダドル）がをご寄付頂き、3人にシェアいただく…これが9回繰り返されると目標額達成ですヽ(｡･ω･｡)ﾉ
・SNSフォロー＆シェア: 私たちのSNSをフォローし、最新の情報をシェアしていただけると嬉しいです。〚Instagram〛〚Facebook〛
・ご紹介: このプロジェクトに興味を持ちそうな方や企業やメディアがあれば、ご紹介いただけると助かります。

どんな形であれ、皆様の応援が大きな支えとなります。どうぞ宜しくお願い致します！