Contemporary Kintsugi – One session only

Kintsugi (golden joinery) first started in Japan around 500 years ago. The philosophy of Kintsugi is to celebrate the damage caused to a vessel, by showcasing the cracks and damage with the use of pure gold and resin. Instead of hiding the imperfections, they should be celebrated – a philosophy that is seen not only for craft, but perhaps also for life.

Favoured family ceramics and heirlooms were once repaired with ugly staples or bound together with glue that could not hide the cracks or repairs. Japanese craftsmen overcame this problem by binding the piece back together with a permanent adhesive made of natural resins and powdered gold. The repairs thus became highly visible and showcased the repairs as part of the history of the unit. The style became so popular that people would deliberately smash or damage valuable pieces for them to be repaired in this way.

In this one-day class, we will look at the art of Kintsugi, using contemporary glues and 23.5 carat gold-leaf. You may bring broken pieces from home to work on or bring along a piece to break specifically for the course.

Small pieces of missing ceramic/china may be recreated, using modern epoxy resins (up to around one-two cm).

You will be repairing these pieces, using superglue as a bonding agent. Any small holes or missing pieces will be recreated with epoxy resin. All the repairs will then be coated with a water-based product to build up a thick layer, covering the cracks. 23.5 carat gold-leaf will then be applied to the adhesive, effectively making the cracks visible as solid gold lines. The final result will then be cleaned and burnished

Learning Objectives:

• To repair a broken vessel and apply goldleaf to the cracks and / or other areas according to personal taste.
• To understand the discipline of repairing things in the correct order.
• To apply goldleaf to ceramic pieces.
• Exploring different ways of expression by trying different ways of pieceing things back together, perhaps differently to how they would normally be done…
• To examine how different materials (abalone, mother of pearl) can be added to existing pieces to enhance their beauty.

Learning Outcomes:

The student will repair a broken vessel, breathing new life and energy into the piece.

Learning how to correctly fix broken ceramics using glue, and an examination of the order of works.

How to apply gilding liquid over the cracks to disguise the break.

Applying goldleaf to the cracks to enhance the unit

How to attach 3^rd party materials to the piece to enhance it using water based products and glue.

There will be discussions of the gilding process throughout the class and an opportunity for Q/A directly with the tutor.

The student will have confidence in gilding through a variety of formats for their own personal area of expertise.

Age: Adults (16+)

Workshop Dates and Times: 

• Sunday: 20th April, 11.00 AM – 3.00 PM
  • 4 hours of learning – 80 AED

Certificate: 

• Please note that you should attend at least 90% of the hours to receive your attendance certificate for this course.

Workshop Location: Al Taif Mall Business Centre, 17th Floor.

Tutor’s Biography: Richard Walker

Richard has worked on a wide range of gilding projects including historic ships (HMS Warrior), private interiors, antique furniture for castles and listed monuments. He teaches at a wide range of top colleges, including West Dean College of Arts and Conservation and The Chippendale International School of Furniture. He specializes working with artists and creatives in developing their work using goldleaf and other precious metals.

Workshop Rules and Regulations: 

• The fee includes all the learning hours and materials that will be supplied in the in-person course.
• No refunds are acceptable and you need to attend the specified hours and times listed on this page.
• No makeup sessions will be offered.