What does Kintsugi mean?
We are often asked what Kintsugi means. It is certainly a strange word that we probably have not heard before.
Kintsugi is a Japanese word that represents a 15th century art in which broken pottery is repaired with gold to restore and enhance its beauty. Kintsugi represents an aesthetic principle that celebrates the living of objects and honors their history. Therefore, broken objects are repaired with one of the most precious metals for human beings, gold, in order to beautify them and enhance their unique and unrepeatable character, instead of discarding them because they are broken. It is a somewhat poetic art. The scars or streaks of gold on the pottery betray its history with the obvious repair. Kintsugi derives from the wabi-sabi aesthetic philosophy, which emphasizes continuous change and that nothing is forever, both in the material world and in human experience.
The story goes that an important figure in the history of Japan had his tea porcelain, brought from China, broken. Because of the personal value of this tea porcelain, he send it to China for repair. The best Chinese craftsmen told him that they could send him a new one, even more beautiful. The illustrious Japanese character refused the offer and, faced with the inability of the Chinese craftsmen to produce a result to his satisfaction, he asked the best Japanese craftsmen to repair his cup, thus Kintsugi was born.
Ernest Hemingway said "The world breaks each one of us, but afterwards, many of us are stronger where we were broken".
The same goes for humans, we can paint our struggle in this life with gold and wear our scars with honor and pride. We are more beautiful people, because of the adversity we have been able to overcome.
One of the pioneers of plastic surgery, Gaspare Tagliacozzi, in the 16th century said about his profession "We repair and restore what Nature has given, but which fortune has taken away. Not to please the eye of the beholder, but to cheer the spirit of the afflicted".
At Kintsugi Aesthetic we pride ourselves in restoring the beauty of the marks left by Life, honoring the human face, honoring the human body and valuing the complexities and the unique and unrepeatable character of each person with the care and kindness of a Kintsugi artist. Our patients shine with the gold of our skill in restoring hearts, faces and bodies.
At Kintsugi Aesthetic we may not extend your life in this world, but we are sure to improve your walk in this world.
