What is
life? Life can be described to be the stages between birth and death – a series
of experiences including the capacity of growth, reproduction, and continual
change preceding death. A much simpler description of life is that it can be
described as the state of existence.
Life is
very complex – there is no manual or instructions that we all have access to,
to tackle life. We all experience and see life differently therefore; we all
formulate or adopt philosophies that we consider to be aligned with how we experience
and see life – all this is facilitated by the process of trial-and-error. Of
all philosophies/ideologies, Kintsugi might be the closest thing to perfect as
it can work for anyone and everyone.
Kintsugi (meaning
golden joinery) is a Japanese artform of the Wabi-Sabi zen ideals. Wabi-Sabi
embodies the acknowledgement and acceptance of transience and imperfection –
characteristics of the Wabi-Sabi philosophy represent and promote the ideas of incompleteness,
impermanence and imperfection.
The artform
of Kintsugi pertains to the process at which broken ceramics are repaired; as
part of the object’s history or the preservation of the object. The object is
mended together with a lacquer resin that is mixed with powdered gold. This is
done with no attempt to disguise the damage – redefining the idea of wholeness.
Stages of
Kintsugi include: The break, embracing the brokenness/damage and surveying the
pieces (with the purpose to formulate the best way possible to restore
wholeness), connecting the pieces and the final product.
·
The break –
represents failure, disappointment or grievances
·
Embracing the brokenness and surveying the pieces – represents the acknowledgement of
a grievance and actively evaluating how one got to that point. This entails
formulating ways to overcome the issue at hand in attempt to make sure that it
does not happen again.
·
Connecting the pieces – represents the implementation of the solutions established.
·
The final product – This with the powdered gold represent the glory of overcoming or reaching
wholeness from a break.
Every crack represents a story – the artform also
cultivates the idea of not being wasteful as one would not throw themself away (give
up) after a break (experiencing failure, disappointment or grievances) – this
reinforces the idea of preservation that Kintsugi is fundamentally about.