Kintsugi

Amidst imperfections and flaws lies an unsung beauty, worthy to be celebrated and cherished.

Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending the areas of breakage with golden lacquer. What is special about the art of Kintsugi is that rather than hiding the cracks or disposing the ceramicware entirely, the breakages are instead emphasised with an illuminating gold—a physical expression of acceptance and embrace of the ceramic’s flaws. 

We often see our flaws and our vulnerabilities as personal weaknesses—something to hide from others, something to keep to ourselves, and something to be ashamed of. Perceiving mends and seams as an additive or even an area to celebrate or focus on, rather than absence or missing pieces, is a lesson we all could learn. Let us embrace our imperfections, and make the most out of what we were given.

Ivan Huang

Admin Intern.