We’ve all said it at some point: “I’m broken.”
Heartbreak, disappointment, loss, betrayal… Life has many ways of testing us. But what if the very places that break us are also the ones that can set us free? What if, instead of hiding our scars, we learned to see them as art?
“Cracks aren’t just marks; they’re where the light enters.”
— Japanese Kintsugi Art
What Is Kintsugi — and Why It Matters
Kintsugi is an ancient Japanese art form that repairs broken ceramics using gold, silver, or platinum. Instead of concealing the damage, it highlights it — turning fractures into glowing veins of beauty. The philosophy behind it is simple yet profound:our flaws and wounds don’t make us less valuable — they make us more unique.Every repaired line tells a story of survival, of transformation. What was once broken becomes even more precious because it has been lovingly restored.
Turning Pain Into Art
When life shatters something inside you, what do you do with the pieces?
A)Do you dwell on the hurt?
B)Do you shut down and stop trusting?
C)Do you pretend nothing happened?
D)Or… do you begin to transform?
Transformation is the moment you stop resisting your pain and start reshaping it. That’s where the spirit of Kintsugi meets the art of healing.
The Art Therapy Perspective: Healing Through Creation
Art therapy teaches that words alone aren’t always enough. To process emotion, we need to touch, shape, and create. Here’s a simple Kintsugi-inspired practice you can try at home:
- Find an object — an old cup, a small bowl, or a ceramic plate.
- Break it gently (or use one that’s already broken).
- Reassemble the pieces with gold paint or gilding.
- As you work, reflect on your own “cracks” — the moments you’ve fallen apart.
Each golden line represents your strength, your resilience, your rebirth. You’re not just mending an object — you’re mending yourself. This simple ritual can become a quiet meditation on letting go, forgiving, and embracing imperfection.
Nothing Ever Truly Breaks — It Only Transforms
Kintsugi whispers a universal truth: nothing is ever permanently broken.If we can learn to look differently, to see possibility within pain, everything can transform.Sometimes it takes years.Sometimes it happens in a heartbeat.But transformation is always within reach.
Artist: Robert Strati
Strati’s work perfectly evokes this idea: from forms that seem broken, scattered, or fragmented, he creates a new whole, even a new meaning. He tells a story that is almost reborn among the lines, fragments, and spaces. From the broken pieces, he brings out an entirely different story.
You Are Not Broken — You Are Becoming
Don’t hide your broken parts.
See them. Honor them.
They are not signs of weakness — they are evidence of courage.
Remember:
You’re not broken. You’re becoming.
And art is your silent companion on that journey.
Because what defines you isn’t just your polished, perfect surface —it’s the way you choose to shine again from the places where you once shattered.
Tugba YAZICI
Multidisciplinary Artist
Instagram: @tugbayaziciofficial
Facebook: Tugba Yazici
Cover Photo: Robert Strati
