The Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC), 244 S. San Pedro St. in Little Tokyo, will present “Healing with Gold: The Art of Kintsugi on Ceramics & Beyond,” an exhibition featuring traditional kintsugi ceramics alongside more than 30 contemporary artworks inspired by the Japanese art of gold lacquer repair.
Curated by Japanese art historian Meher McArthur, the exhibition will be on view Sept. 12 through Oct. 18 at JACCC’s George J. Doizaki Gallery.
Kintsugi emerged in Japan around the 16th century within the culture of the tea ceremony, where highly valued ceramic vessels were repaired rather than discarded when broken. Using lacquer and gold powder, craftspeople transformed visible fractures into decorative features that became part of an object’s history.
Bringing rare historical kintsugi tea bowls together with contemporary artworks, “Healing with Gold” examines how the tradition has expanded beyond ceramic repair. Works spanning ceramics, painting, sculpture, textile art, lacquerware, and installation demonstrate how artists have embraced kintsugi both as an artistic practice and as an expression of healing, resilience, renewal, and the beauty of imperfection.
Featured artists include Miya Ando, Christen Austin, Richard Bohn, Alan Chin, Naoko Fukumaru, Leah Knecht, Ted Meyer, Kyoko Ohwaki, Kristine Schomaker, Miya Smith, Jeff Sugishita, Akihiro and Takahiro Taya (Taya Shikkiten), Yukako Tanaka, Shoshi Watanabe & Yosei Shibata, and Liberty Worth.
The exhibition opens with a reception on Saturday, Sept. 12, from 5 to 7 p.m., followed by a curator’s tour on Saturday, Sept. 19, at 11 a.m. The exhibition will be on view Tuesdays through Sundays from 12: to 4 p.m. Admission is free, and no RSVP is required.
This exhibition is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional support from Mitsuko and Dave Felton.
Learn more about the exhibition at jaccc.org.