Kintsugi Repair Services

 
 

Kintsugi Repair Services

In April 2006 I completed my Master’s Dissertation at NYU, Chanoyu and The Art of Desirable Decay, in it I took, what was at the time an unconventional stance, in that I believe that certain functional museum objects and most functional art are meant to be used and are sometimes designed to change with use. While working at the Brooklyn Museum I was tasked with contacting many of the Japanese ceramic artists in the museum’s collection to ask them about their thoughts on this topic and what they think about how one of their works should be conserved and/or preserved. These conversations strengthened my belief that objects are designed to be used and are in reality not just a decorative and functional form of art, but also part of an experiential art form. I believe that these functional objects have a social life and pick up beauty through time and with use. I also believe that objects that break do not need to be discarded and when repaired properly can be treasured for generations.

As part of my beliefs and training, I have learned the traditional technique of kintsugi, using Japanese lacquer (Urushi) and gold to mend ceramic work so they can retain their functional and social lives. If you are interested in Kintsugi repair services please feel free to contact me.

As a basic rule of thumb, repairs vary in price based on complexity: chips, number of breaks, amount of missing material; and what materials are used for a repair: gold, silver, brass, traditional urushi based materials, hybrid type repair using both modern materials coupled with urushi.

A basic estimated repair is as follows (but should only be used as a guide and I will consult with an individual more fully about what is recommended and required for a final estimate:

Traditional Repair Only Urushi Based (minimum 2 months repair time)

  • Chip Repair with Gold $150

  • Chip Repair with Silver $100

  • Chip Repair with Brass (alternative gold or silver) $75

  • 2 inch (5cm) double surface repair Gold $150

  • 2 inch (5cm) double surface repair Silver $100

  • 2 inch (5cm) double surface repair Brass (alternative gold or silver) $75

  • Loss Compensation approx $150 per square cm single surface gold

  • Loss Compensation approx $100 per square cm single surface Silver

  • Loss Compensation approx $75 per square cm single surface Brass (alternative gold or silver)

If you would like a quote for Kintsugi Repair Services please email me at KintsugiEstimate@nezumishino.com and title the email Kintsugi Repair Estimate Request.