Kintsugi: portraying the art of transformation & resilience
Original article | Published: 23 Jan 2025 | By The Features Desk
In a world often defined by fragmentation and loss, the concept of restoration takes on profound significance. Anoma Wijewardene’s ‘Kintsugi’, on display at Cinnamon Life, Colombo until Sunday (26), is an eloquent meditation on this very theme, as it draws inspiration from the ancient Japanese practice of repairing broken pottery with gold lacquer.
The exhibition was first unveiled at the 58th Venice Biennale, and invites viewers to reconsider the nature of imperfection – not as a flaw, but as an opportunity for renewal. Through a harmonious fusion of visual art, poetry, and music, Wijewardene explores the delicate process of mending while offering up a powerful reflection on the resilience that can emerge from the act of repair.
At the core of ‘Kintsugi’ is an installation of laser-cut prints mounted on mirrored surfaces, where the fractured forms become a metaphor for the world itself – broken yet whole, fragmented yet unified. ‘Unity in diversity’ rings at every corner of the installation and it is as if the entire space is a ceramic held together by gold lacquer. The use of the gold to accentuate the cracks transforms what might be seen as a flaw into something beautiful, and perhaps even sacred. It is a reminder that the marks of past suffering should not be concealed and swept under the metaphorical rug, but that they should be embraced because they bear witness to a history that is still unfolding.
The collaborative nature of ‘Kintsugi’ speaks to the power of creative partnership that comes from the serendipitous union of ideas and individuals.
In a world where the cracks are becoming increasingly evident, Wijewardene’s work resonates immediately and strikes a chord in exactly the right place – the mind’s heart – as she reminds us through compelling visual, textual and auditory media that a fractured world need not end; it will be repaired, with a reminder of its brokenness being ever-present.
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