Kintsugi is an ancient Japanese art of fixing broken pottery using gold or other precious metals. People in Japan believe that the marks of repair and imperfections are not something that needs to be hidden. Instead, it should be celebrated as it represents the history of the object.
Inspired by Kintsugi, Ohio artist Glen Taylor started fixing broken porcelain in an unusual way. He uses metal to get the broken pieces together but doesn’t seek to restore the object to its former shape. Instead, he looks to add a surreal effect to its existence with barbed wire, spikes, nails, and much more.
In order to obtain the material for his art, Taylor visits antique shops, swap meets, and auctions. He always looks to choose the pieces he feels some kind of emotional draw to or those that wake nostalgia.
Taylor’s creative process doesn’t only result in amazing and intriguing artworks. According to the artist’s recent interview with Colossal, this also serves as a great therapy for him.
“As I began mending and recreating my broken pottery, the personal therapy and healing became the whole point,” he told Colossal in a recent interview. “I reached an age where I began sorting through the emotional baggage of my life, and the elements for my work became apparent.”
