Imperfection sublimated by Gold: the art of Kintsugi
I learned about Kintsugi during my journey of discovery and acknowledgement of the artisans of Maison gala and I immediately fell in love with this ancestral art rich in meaning. The idea? l’idée ?
Sublimate the defects of a porcelain object with gold!
The word Kintsugi comes from the Japanese Kin (gold) and Tsugi (join), and therefore literally means: join with gold.
Legend
I have read a lot about this Japanese method of repairing broken ceramics and its origin is wrapped, as it is often the case, by legend: it seems that the idea was born in Japan, out of the need to repair the favourite cup of tea of Ashikaga Yoshimasa, the eighth shogun Ashikaga.
In any case, it’s a technique transmitted by artisans over the centuries and that became a form of Art.
Philosophy
The Kintsugi starts from the principle that the scars and the marks of time are not to be hidden, but on the contrary, they are a source of rebirth and sublimation:
a real opportunity to give meaning to our own life.
If everything has an end, like the object that breaks into pieces, everything reborn more beautiful: the restored objects, with resin and gold powder, are even more beautiful and more solid than before. A good life lesson to transform your wounds into a strength.
A metaphor of Resilience
Did you know that Samurais were proud to show their war wounds even when they were disfigured?
Pour un objet, comme dans la vie, les blessures font donc partie de notre histoire et ont fait de nous la personne que nous sommes aujourd’hui.
The Japanese philosophy of Kintsugi is so rich in meaning!
It talks about resilience, healing wounds that make us stronger, the value that the past has on our present.
A strong emotional key
Personally, I find in the Kintsugi a strong cathartic aspect. To repair pots with gold symbolizes in my opinion almost a way to heal our own emotional wounds.
To take care of what made us suffer, give importance to those small parts of us that have been broken up.
Kintsugi and the artisans who practice this art, have taught me that time, patience and the desire to go further, will heal our wounds.
Commitment to sustainable consumption
In an era of overconsumption, repair, mending or recycling represent multiple ways to extend the life of an object. In addition, the Kintsugi art and its objects with their imperfections but full of personality, completely embody this societal spirit, which is in the DNA of Maison Gala.
Stay safe!
Latest additions to the Maison Gala catalogue
No products were found!
