Each year the
VERVE project hosts a
Visiting Maker (a micro Artist in Residence scheme). In the autumn of 2015, Muneaki Shimode and Takahiko Sato came to Oxford, all the way from Kyoto, to demonstrate and teach the Japanese method of ceramic repair known as
Kintsugi.
 |
| Muneaki Shimode and Takahiko Sato © Pitt Rivers Museum |
Kintsugi can be roughly translated as 'Gold Joinery' and involves the repair
of broken ceramics with Urushi lacquer,
and then applying gold powder to the surface before the lacquer dries. Rather
than disguise or hide the damage, the cracks and chips are accentuated with raised
gold lines, celebrating cherished or valuable ceramics, and allowing them to be
used once more.
This approach to repairing ceramics is very
different from the usual European methods where any signs of damage are hidden
away and disguised with near-invisible joins.
Although only here for 10 days in November
2015, Muneaki and Takahiko managed to pack in a huge amount including an
evening event looking at Japanese Ceramics in Oxford (Fired Works Night), staff and public talks, and three taught workshops for 60 people to learn hands-on kintsugi repair techniques.
Muneaki and Takahiko also carried out kintsugi repairs in the museum galleries
using damaged ceramics kindly donated from the Friends of the Pitt Rivers Museum. This
allowed members of the public to see the process up close and allowed Muneaki
and Takahiko to share their expert knowledge and answer questions.
 |
| Kintsugi public workshop © Pitt Rivers Museum |
Due to the materials and chemicals used in kintsugi, the workshops were restricted
to adults, however a Children’s activity – ‘Marvelous Mending’ - explained the
ideas behind the technique to a younger audience. A small case display was also installed to document the residency and showcase some of the work. All in all, no part of the
museum was left kintsugi free!
So a little more about the artists: Muneaki Shimode works as a Maki-e artist,
using various Urushi lacquers,
pigments and gold powders to decorate Buddhist temples and altars. He does not describe himself as a professional
kintsugi artist as there is no such
profession in Japan. However it is common for Maki-e to carry out
kintsugi as a sideline to their main
work as they have the skills of using
Urushi,
extremely precise brush-work and handling gold powders.
Takahiko Sato is president of a family business
producing the various forms of Urushi lacquer. Urushi lacquer is the refined
sap of the Urushi tree, a tree native to SE Asia and a member of the poison ivy
family. In its raw state, the sap is a translucent brown colour and can cause
painful burns if it comes in contact with the skin. However, in the presence of
oxygen and high humidity, the sap slowly hardens after which it can be handled
safely.
Although Muneaki and Takahiko have now
returned to Kyoto, they have not entirely left the museum. Two of the ceramics they worked on and samples
of the materials they used have been accessioned into the museum collection. These are very interesting pieces, as they
both come from the first firing of the ‘Dragon Kiln’ built as part of the
Oxford Anagama project at Wytham Woods. This is a special type of traditional wood
fired Japanese kiln originally from the Bizen area of Japan, which has been
built by a team of Japanese and UK master potters.
A repaired plate will also join the Museum’s handling collection where it will be used in future education and outreach activities to allow visitors to pick up and handle the plate and see how the repairs look and feel.
Having these objects in the collection,
repaired in this traditional way, gives the museum a very unique link between
traditional crafts in both Oxford and Japan and the craftspeople themselves.
Watch our short film where
Muneaki and Takahiko explain the philosophy and skill behind the craft, whilst
following the journey of a single broken dish - and its owner - through the
repair process:
Kintsugi at Pitt Rivers Museum from Pitt Rivers Museum on Vimeo.
Our many thanks go to everyone who volunteered
their time and helped with planning and organizing events, activities,
workshops, breaking plates, donating ceramics and all the visitors who came and
made the project a success.
Thanks also must go to the Heritage Lottery Fund, the principle supporter of the VERVE project, and the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, who provided funding to bring Muneaki and Takahiko over
from Japan. The greatest thanks of all must go to Muneaki and Takahiko themselves,
who were so willing to share their knowledge.
If you missed their visit and would like to
see the repaired ceramics, they are currently on display on the Museum’s Lower Gallery until 24 April 2016.
 |
| Display of Kintsigi repair on the Museum's Lower Gallery |
Andrew Hughes
VERVE Conservator
Call out for Archaeology Focus Group 
