Posted by John Britt January 24, 2013

Word of the Day Part II- Kintsugi

Doug Navarra wrote in with this after the word of the day yesterday:

What also interests me is that here is another great example of how we are adapting the traditions of other lands. Remember just some twenty years ago the word yunomi or chawan was in limited use in our somewhat closed ceramic spectrum but is now in casual use and understanding in an American conception.

But with the use of the internet now prevalent, the "landscape" is quite a bit different. No longer are traditions "exclusive" to small communities or ethnic locations.We adapt and adopt these vocabularies and techniques and use them within our own ceramic lexicon, making them even more unique.

The word "tradition" becomes rapidly expanded and I might say, it often comes with the price of not having experienced that tradition in its original setting. There are both positives and negatives to that.

As one conduit to exploring tradition I think this is a big deal when one making pots inspired by cultural motifs from other lands. Its not that this never existed, but its a good example of how fast these changes are occurring

Now doesn't this make you want to go out and break some pots?
--Doug