Japanese Artists Use Gold to Revive Broken Ceramics in Zen-Inspired Technique, Say Breakage Adds Beauty

Japanese Artists Use Gold to Revive Broken Ceramics in Zen-Inspired Technique, Say Breakage Adds Beauty
Marco Montalti/Shutterstock
Michael Wing
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Japanese Zen philosophy has inspired a culture that finds beauty in imperfection. This idea is found in the crack of a teacup in the art of kintsugi.

Where we Westerners might consider it broken and useless, the Japanese pieced together such broken ceramics using lacquer and then sprinkled the joints with powdered gold to decorate—and indeed celebrate—the flaw.
Michael Wing
Michael Wing
Editor and Writer
Michael Wing is a writer and editor based in Calgary, Canada, where he was born and educated in the arts. He writes mainly on culture, human interest, and trending news.
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