Kintsugi | Kenta Takeshige

This is a clay plate, handmade by women in a village in Benin, West Africa. It has a similar texture to Japanese clay pots, and I felt a very familiar warmth within it. While applying Kintsugi, I imagined the landscape of the women there, and it reminded me of my experience and life in Africa as a member of JICA (Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers), which brought back memories. I would love to participate again someday as a senior JICA member.

The wood had shrunk significantly over time. Due to this shrinking, large cracks appeared. I used urethane glue to fix broken pieces and to fill the gaps as their sides were very uneven. After gluing, the whole body was stabilized with Ki-Urushi. To fasten the cracks that were too wide to be filled with adhesive, wrought iron braces were driven in as in the ancient Chinese method. I traced the glued lines with Kiriko and covered them with hemp cloth in some places. Furthermore, lines of Kiriko as well as other cracks were traced with Ki-Urushi to create a sense of sameness.