Witness the beauty of mending!
Starting Saturday, November 30th and running until May 2025, the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (AGGV) is inviting visitors to experience the transformative beauty of Kintsugi in its newest exhibition, Beauty of Mending: Kintsugi and Beyond.
Join them on their opening day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.—admission to the exhibit is included in museum admission or a membership.
This captivating exhibition explores the Japanese art of Kintsugi, which is the art of repairing broken ceramics with lacquer and gold, dating back to the 15th century.
Kintsugi is explored through the intricate work of the AGGV’s featured artist, Naoko Fukumaru.
The healing art of Kintsugi
Rather than hiding the cracks, this method emphasizes them, turning the imperfections into beautiful symbols of resilience.
Fukumaru, a trained conservator and Kintsugi artist, applies this ancient technique with both reverence and innovation, transforming broken ceramics into radiant, restored works of art.
For Fukumaru, the process of repair is not just about restoring physical objects—it is an act of healing, a way to reimagine the damaged and discarded into something more valuable.
Her work invites us to see the beauty in scars and fractures, turning what was once seen as broken into something uniquely strong and beautiful.
“Brokenness is not the end, but an opportunity for transformation,” said Heng Wu, the Exhibition Curator and AGGV Curator of Asian Art.
“Through the art of Kintsugi, we explore how things—and perhaps even ourselves—can become more beautiful for having been broken.”
Fukumaru’s craft and the story behind the art
Naoko Fukumaru’s passion for Kintsugi began at an early age in Kyoto, Japan, where she grew up in a third-generation antique auction house family.
Surrounded by fine art and antiques, Fukumaru’s exposure to broken objects and their restoration became a central part of her childhood.
Her great-grandfather, who collected discarded objects and repaired them by hand, sparked her lifelong interest in this art form.
Fukumaru later pursued formal training in conservation, earning a post-graduate diploma in Ceramics, Glass, and Related Materials Conservation and Restoration from West Dean College in Chichester, England, in 2000.
Over the past two decades, she has worked as a professional ceramic and glass conservator, contributing to restoration projects for renowned museums and cultural institutions around the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Detroit Institute of Arts, and the Tomb of Tutankhamun in Egypt.
Her expertise has led her to work on major projects involving works of art by Leonardo da Vinci, Caravaggio, and Yoko Ono, among others.
Fukumaru’s Kintsugi pieces are informed by her rich background in restoration, elevating the ancient technique into a contemporary artistic practice.
Don’t miss the perfect opportunity to explore this extraordinary collection and immerse yourself in the history and artistry of Kintsugi!
General admission is $15, though there’s a 50% discount until December 13th due to the changeover of exhibitions. When purchasing tickets online, apply the code Visitor50 to access this discount.
Admission is free on the first Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., as well as every Thursday evening from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Beauty of Mending: Kintsugi and Beyond
- Where: AGGV, 1040 Moss Street
- When:
- Opening day: Saturday, November 30th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Runs until May 2025 during museum hours
