The are of embracing imperfection
What does Kintsugi mean?
The art of Kintsugi is one of the central themes of my new book, Eternally Artemisia. My protagonist is a therapist who leads retreats in Tuscany. During these retreats, she teaches groups of women who have suffered abuse a unique technique: Kintsugi. But what is Kintsugi? Let me explain (with the help of my friend Monica Facchini, who shared a beautiful post about this today).
The beauty of golden cracks
In Japan, when a vase breaks, instead of throwing it away, it is repaired with gold, which is literally inserted into the cracks to hold the pieces together. This is because it is believed that a broken vase can become even more beautiful than it was originally.
A philosophy of acceptance
But what matters most is not so much the possibility of repairing an object by enhancing its beauty and value, but the underlying philosophy. It maintains that life is not only about wholeness but also about fractures, which must be accepted.
Scars that tell a story
For the Japanese, pain and mistakes are not feelings to be eradicated or hidden, just as aesthetic imperfections do not destroy the harmony of an object. The cracks of a broken object should not be concealed but embraced and appreciated, just as the scars and wounds of the soul are revealed without shame, as they are part of our story.
Regeneration and inner rebirth
Kintsugi teaches us that a form of beauty and superior perfection can be reborn from a healed wound. The slow process of repair after a rupture helps us understand that the marks life leaves on our skin and mind carry value and meaning. From these marks, through their acceptance and healing, comes regeneration and inner rebirth, making us whole again in a new way.
Follow Artemisia and discover Kintsugi
In my novel “Eternally Artemisia,” art therapy plays a central role in the story. The protagonist, a dedicated therapist, leads healing retreats in Tuscany, where she introduces a group of women who have experienced trauma to the ancient Japanese art of Kintsugi. Through this practice, they learn to embrace their scars—both physical and emotional—as part of their journey toward healing and resilience. Follow Artemisia’s transformative path in Eternally Artemisia to uncover the beauty and symbolism of Kintsugi.
Read the novel that was inspired by the art of Kintsugi
Eternally Artemisia
They say some loves travel through time and are fated to meet over and over again. For Maddie, an art therapist, who wrestles with the “peculiar feeling” she has lived previous lives and is being called to Italy by voices that have left imprints o her soul, this idea is intriguing. Despite her best efforts, however, proof of this has always eluded her. That is, until one illuminating summer in Italy when Maddie’s previous existences start to bleed through into her current reality. When she is introduced to the Crociani family—a noble clan with ties to the seventeenth-century Medici court that boasts of ancestors with colorful pasts—she finally meets the loves of her life. One is a romantic love, and another is a special kind of passion that only women share, strong amongst those who have suffered greatly yet have triumphed despite it. As Maddie’s relationship develops with Artemisia Gentileschi—an artist who in a time when it was unheard of to denounce a man for the crime of rape, did just that—Maddie discovers a kindred spirit and a role model, and just what women are capable of when united together. In a journey that arcs back to biblical days and moves forward in time, Maddie encounters artists, dukes, designers, and movie stars as well as baser and ignoble men. With Artemisia never far from her side, she proves that when we dare to take control of our lives and find the “thing” we are most passionate about, we are limitless and can touch the stars.
When I read about the Kintsugi method in “Eternally Artemisia”, I was fascinated. I did some research and actually repaired two of my shattered treasures. Thank you.