Broken and Beautiful - The Art of Kintsugi

There can be immense pressure to live up to the expectations of parents, friends, partner and society at large. Falling short of those expectations, whether in relationships, at work, or elsewhere, can be draining and lead to feelings of failure. However, experiencing brokenness needn’t always be negative. The philosophy of Kintsugi suggests otherwise. A Japanese art form that involves repairing broken pottery; "Kin" translates to ‘gold’, and "tsugi" means ‘to join’.

This artistic tradition traces back hundreds of years to the Muromachi period. It is said that during this period, Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu accidentally broke his favorite tea bowl that held sentimental value.

“Oh, I have been broken into pieces beyond repair.”, the bowl thinks.

Rather than throwing it away, he sent it to China for repair. The bowl returned with its pieces held together by metal staples, a common repair technique used in China and parts of Europe for valuable items at that time. However, the Shogun found this method neither functional nor visually appealing.

“Will I ever go back to being the way I was?”, the bowl questions.

He tasked his own artisans in Japan with finding a way to create something beautiful from the broken object.

“Won't the gold draw attention to my flaws?” asks the bowl. "Not at all. It will make even more beautiful as you go on to embrace your imperfections.”, says the artisan.

And thus, Kintsugi was born.The beauty of this philosophy lies not only in its transformation but also in how that transformation is executed. The visible gold lines that mend the broken pieces make no effort to conceal the damage; instead, they embrace the moment of overcoming failure. Rather than disguising the flaws, it highlights them. It shows the strength, resilience and perseverance of those who endured tough times, thus giving it a positive perspective.

Wabi-sabi, another Japanese philosophy centered on accepting imperfection and finding beauty in simplicity, is also linked to Kintsugi . As a guiding principle, kintsugi can provide solace in times of failure. Like a kintsugi artwork that take months to complete, by picking up our pieces and reassembling them, we may not immediately see beauty. However, as wabi-sabi teaches us, with time, we may grow to cherish the beauty found within imperfections.

Let me not conclude here, dear reader. What if the exquisitely mended bowl still faced rejection by the Shogun?

“In Kintsugi's embrace, my fractures heal. Yet the Shogun's disdain, I am deemed unfit.”, thinks the bowl.

Finding a sense of belonging again, with imperfections, can be challenging. The restored bowl, gleaming with its golden cracks, requires empathy and acceptance. A safe space, a nurturing environment and an acceptance from the ones around, is where this artwork and this philosophy can flourish.

Would you be comfortable highlighting your flaws? Would you embrace the philosophy of Kintsugi? And more importantly, would you empathize with the gold lines as a beholder?

All illustrations were made on Procreate app.

You can check out my artworks and shop on www.payalmaloo.com/shop