The romance of antiques, passed down through the ages, and the fresh vitality of contemporary glass craftsmanship have come together through a single “kintsugi” repair.
“Reconstructing Beauty” Through the Interplay of Tradition and Modernity
This piece is based on a shard (the foot section) of an “Early Imari” cylindrical tea bowl, which exudes an elegant atmosphere from over 400 years ago. The simple, warm surface of the white porcelain is imbued with charming patterns that evoke the past, and the rough texture of the foot reveals the powerful vitality unique to Early Imari.
This precious ceramic fragment is boldly joined to a contemporary blown glass rim that radiates transparency. The rippling texture on the glass surface beautifully reflects light, creating a new sense of depth within the vessel.
Delicate Kintsugi: Bridging Boundaries
What binds these two materials—pottery and glass, which differ completely in both shrinkage rate and texture—is the kintsugi (rebirth) technique, meticulously applied by hand by skilled artisans.
The gold dots scattered like stardust along jet-black lines are as beautiful as the Milky Way spanning the night sky, serving as an artistic accent that goes beyond mere “repair” to enhance the overall expression of the vessel.
Vessels for a Colorful Life: The Freedom of “Mitate”
Embodying the spirit of “mitate”—a concept cherished in the world of antique art—these vessels can be used for a variety of purposes, limited only by the user’s imagination.
- As a sake vessel: When you pour chilled sake into it, you can simultaneously enjoy the transparency of the sake swaying through the glass and the charm of Imari porcelain settling at the bottom.
- As a tea bowl or small serving dish: It is exceptional for serving dishes as a “mukozuke” or for use as a “tsutsuchawan” in a modern tea ceremony setting.
- As interior decor: Place it by a window to let light shine through, and savor the beautiful contrast of shadows created by the interplay of glass, white porcelain, and kintsugi.
Please enjoy the unique presence of this one-of-a-kind piece, which breathes new life into fragments of the past and transforms them into a practical vessel.
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