5 Ways to Heal Emotions by Turning Negatives into Positives: How the Japanese Art of Kintsugi Transforms Brokenness into Works of Art

Image supplied by author, Venice, California

Awoman recently shattered a porcelain Koons sculpture valued at $42,000 when she knocked it off a table at a Miami Art Fair. It was considered one of the most iconic works of the 20th century.

The shattered prized sculpture of a blue poodle shaped like a balloon now lay on the floor in hundreds of pieces. It was insured, and the woman, an art collector, did not break it intentionally. Apparently, she may have tapped it to see if it was a real balloon, expecting it to float. But when it fell to the floor in a noisy crash, the crowd gathered.

Here is where it gets interesting…

A local Miami artist offered to buy the pieces. He said, “I find value in it even when it’s broken. To me, it’s the story. It makes the art even more interesting.”

Kintsugi is a traditional Japanese art form in which broken pottery is mended using gold or silver lacquer, highlighting the cracks and imperfections rather than hiding or disguising them. This technique celebrates the beauty in imperfection and reminds us that life is not always perfect, but we can find beauty in our flaws.