When it comes to the items we use on a daily basis, high up on this list is almost certainly going to be bowls. We use bowls for just about every kind of culinary engagement. From storing sauce to condiments and sides to soups and more, bowls are a very useful item to have at home. However, when a bowl gets damaged, cracked, snapped, or even smashed, we often feel compelled to bin it and replace it anew. However, with the Japanese decorative art of kintsugi, you could create a kintsugi bowl instead.
But should you? Should you replace that old, damaged bowl with a new one? Or create a kintsugi bowl instead?
The art of restoration – a kintsugi bowl is a symbol of renewal
Instead of simply getting rid of the bowl and buying a new one, we suggest you instead create a kintsugi bowl for yourself. The reasoning is pretty simple: instead of seeing something with a smash or a break as irreparable, kintsugi reminds us that repairs are part of the journey.
Kintsugi involves using a substance to hold together the smashed item, such as a bowl or a vase. It then leaves a clear mark where the cracks happened, adding a decorative charm to the product in a way that simply was not possible before. Kintsugi, though, also points to a very important fact of life – that our journeys can involve many falls, breaks, and bumps along the way.
With kintsugi, you not only repair the item – even strengthening your kintsugi bowl – but you can also show off its journey so far. When you look to everything to be simply pristine without any signs of life or a journey, you remove the importance of the moments in life that happen.
Kintsugi reminds us that while we might bear scars or signs of wear and tear, it does not mean anything other than we have been on a very important journey. With that in mind, it is easy to see why a kintsugi bowl is a great idea. It allows you to have decoratively unique bowls that offer an insight into the kind of journey that you have been on.
Always looking for something to be perfect is not a good thing. Even something as simple as repairing a bowl into a kintsugi bowl can be a sign that you are able to roll with the punches. Instead of looking to hide the ‘mistake’ of smashing something, a kintsugi bowl shows the world what happens and not only shows off the new look but also shines a light on the fact that, whilst damaged, even a bowl can live a second life with some simple changes.
Aside from the cosmetics, a kintsugi bowl is a wise product to own because it shows an emotional growth and a willingness to use items that, while damaged, can still well and truly hold a special place within your heart.