Kintsugi is a conservative restoration technique invented in Japan in the 15th century. The legend says that a Shogun once broke his teacup, a small accident that was however considered a bad omen. In order to fix the teacup while maintaining its beauty, his court invented kintsugi.

I used to work for a gilding master, Sabatelli. When he closed his shop, he left me his work tables and a large quantity of gold leaf. I had seen images of Japanese cups coated in gold and while searching for inspiration, I landed upon images of kintsugi ceramics.

Today you can find kintsugi tutorials online and buy the equipment on amazon. But back then (ten years ago) there was no information and hardly anyone who did it in Italy. I travelled all the way to Japan to learn from masters and find the right materials.

I work on commissions for large design companies and on smaller projects for private clients. What I find interesting is that people who come to me are often going through some kind of difficulty: they need to repair something in their lives.