By definition, Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver or platinum. Today, we are embracing this art by mimicking this unique traditional Japanese mending technique. The ancient method used gold, silver or platinum to adhere the broken pieces back together; in essence, the metals are used as glue. Featured here, Charlotte Bailey, the talented Brighton-based embroidery artist, wraps each broken piece in fabric before seeing finding the corresponding pieces using a beautiful gold, metallic thread.
Giving new life to broken pieces goes beyond our generation’s idea of recycling, it’s making art! Throwaway no more… this is a wonderful concept for us to reconsider afresh. So rather than trying to cover up the cracks and broken history, golden “veins” embrace the past and breathe new life. We love this concept and hope it is something that becomes more prevalent in today’s culture!
For a previous blog on Kintsugi, please click here.
Charlotte Bailey‘s patchwork vases are created by sewing fragmented porcelain back together using patterned fabric and metallic thread.
Image courtesy of: My Modern Met
Close up, you can see the beautiful detailing.
Image courtesy of: My Modern Met
Here’s an example of a porcelain vase that was broken… look below and see how much prettier it is when wrapped in a beautiful fabric.
Image courtesy of: This Is Colossal
… wow, right?
Image courtesy of: This is Colossal