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Writer's pictureJojoo Yang

KINTSUGI- Embracing the imperfect

All things are created and destined to be broken someday.


If they’re broken, I fix them. My name is Li Li, I'm Kintsugi-shi. A technician uses Japan's centuries'-old artistic technique to repair damaged pottery and other objects. The technique is called Kintsugi , it restores broken objects with Japanese Urushi (tree sap), then fine gold is decorated at the end of the damaged areas. I’m a certified Kintsugi Professionalist living in Espoo.


Being broken or damaged is not a bad thing, rather a natural happening. All of us, humans, develop scars throughout our lives, so do the tangible and intangible objects that are accompanying our daily lives, these scars don’t have to be hidden always.


Instead of covering up the scars, Kintsugi beautifies the breakages. The powdered gold highlights the fracture as an important part of the object’s history. The lacquered cracks are covered with gold to transform the damaged objects into a unique piece, which will be used and preserved for a long time with its owner. In many cases, they may live longer than us.


Kintsugi is often used in pottery, those pottery that has been inherited from the families or they’re owners’ favorite pieces, the pieces that have true sentimental values to someone so that after the fixing, those pieces can continuously stay in our lives, and accompany us for a longer time.


The restored ceramics or object becomes a symbol of fragility, strength and beauty. Many see Kintsugi as a powerful metaphor for life, where nothing is ever truly broken. The fractured part where Kintsugi is applied becomes a new landscape in itself.






The celebration of broken objects is an extension of “Wabi-Sabi” , a Japanese philosophy that finds beauty in imperfection.


The first time I immediately fell in love with Kintsugi and started studying was when I was a university student in Japan 20 years ago, in the weekly volunteer work for the local autistic children, with their Kintsugi and pottery teachers. Several years ago, I had the chance to get 3 years of systematic studies again including techniques, the theories, histories, Urushi culture, etc.


I'm so grateful that I’ve met different objects, some of them are hundreds of years old antiques… the artisan who made those antiques has already passed away, however their pieces of art have traveled all the way to my hands today, waiting for my restoration. In the quiet night, I clearly feel that I’m meeting them in their piece of art, getting their permission to fix their work, and listening to their opinions about how they would like to fix it. It’s simply beautiful .

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