Introductory Seminar on Traditional Kintsugi with Hands-On Experience

Kintsugi (金継ぎ), literally “joining with gold,” is an ancient Japanese technique for restoring ceramics that originated in the culture of the tea ceremony about 500 years ago. The technique uses urushi lacquer to bond the fragments of a broken object together and pure gold powder to embellish—rather than hide—the fracture lines.

The workshop offers a fascinating journey into traditional Japanese culture, exploring the historical origins of kintsugi and the ancient art of lacquer (Urushi Bunka) through theoretical explanations, live demonstrations, and a guided hands-on experience.

Instructor Irene Carlino, who specializes in the traditional Japanese techniques of maki-e decoration and kintsugi, will explain all the main stages of the restoration process, demonstrating the materials, tools, and methods used in authentic Japanese tradition.

Participants will then have the opportunity to become familiar with urushi lacquer by personally experiencing one of the most important steps—kin-maki, the technique of decorating lacquer with a dusting of pure gold—as taught by authentic Japanese tradition.

Seminar Agenda (150 minutes)

• An Introduction to Kintsugi and Urushi Lacquer Culture
• Hands-on demonstration of the main stages of restoring a ceramic piece
• Hands-on experience: applying Bengara lacquer and preparing the decorative area
• An In-Depth Look at the True Origins of Kintsugi in Japanese Tradition
• Hands-on experience: decorating with gold leaf using the traditional Kin-maki technique. Each participant will be provided with a fine Japanese Imari porcelain bowl on which to practice the technique.
• At the end of the workshop, you may take your finished piece home as a tangible memento of your experience. Recommendations: Urushi lacquer contains an irritant that can cause skin irritation; we recommend wearing latex gloves.