{
  "id": 1800944,
  "title": "Kintsugi and the Art of Embracing Imperfection: Suezaki Hiroki’s Vision for Artisan Renewal",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/kintsugi-and-the-art-of-embracing-imperfection-suezaki-hirokis-vision",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-18T21:00:12.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Nippon.com",
    "slug": "nippon-com",
    "url": "https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-topics/g02612/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Suezaki Hiroki, a master lacquer restoration artist from Osaka, has dedicated his life to embracing imperfection and renewing artisan culture through the art of kintsugi. Born in 1957, Suezaki apprenticed in lacquer arts after finishing high school and began working as a restoration specialist in 1985, creating cultural properties for shrines, temples, and museums across Japan. In 2014, he established a workshop in Kyoto and began offering kintsugi classes the following year.\n\nKintsugi, a traditional Japanese art form, involves repairing broken ceramics using lacquer-based adhesive and decorating the seams with gold, silver, or platinum. Rather than concealing damage, kintsugi treats cracks as part of the object's story and uses them to create a new \"landscape.\" This approach emphasizes the beauty of imperfection and encourages viewers to appreciate the unique history of each piece.\n\nSuezaki's passion for kintsugi stems from his desire to keep artisan culture alive and share it with a broader audience. He believes that while mass production has its advantages, it is crucial to preserve the value of handmade, one-of-a-kind items in a world increasingly dominated by standardized goods. Suezaki is acutely aware of the challenges facing traditional crafts, as the population of artisans dwindles and traditional materials disappear. He feels a responsibility to ensure that these valuable skills and techniques are passed down to future generations.\n\nTo make kintsugi more accessible to the general public, Suezaki has experimented with new forms of artistic expression. For example, he has created gold lines on blue-and-white porcelain vessels that appear like ornaments hanging from a chandelier, enhancing the beauty of the design without diminishing it. He also collaborated with ceramic artist Mori Reiji on an incense burner in the shape of a horse called Bakōro, which was acquired by the Vatican Museums. These innovative approaches have helped Suezaki reach a global audience and showcase the value of kintsugi in contemporary art.\n\nSuezaki's expertise and expressive power have opened new opportunities for collaboration, including lectures at museums and institutions in Rome, Faenza, Venice, Lugano, London, and Oxford. In 2024, he began teaching a lacquer restoration course at a school in Venice, helping train overseas experts to preserve lacquer works. He continues to teach in Japan as well, ensuring that his knowledge and passion for kintsugi are passed down to new generations.\n\nThrough his work, Suezaki Hiroki has demonstrated that the art of kintsugi is not merely about repairing broken objects; it is a powerful philosophy that embraces imperfection, celebrates individuality, and fosters a deeper appreciation for traditional craftsmanship.",
  "summary": "Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken ceramics with lacquer and gold. The technique highlights imperfection, rather than hiding it. Suezaki Hiroki stands at the forefront of this movement, capturing global attention by turning cracks into luminous seams and giving objects new depth and beauty.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}