Kintsugi
Kintsugi urushi, what is it?
Traditional urushi lacquer technique
Kintsugi is a traditional Japanese technique for repairing broken ceramics by gluing the pieces back together with Urushi lacquer.
Ki urushi is a natural raw lacquer "ki urushi", the "ki" meaning "pure". Urushi refers to the tree, its raw lacquer product and its preparation. Urushi is a natural component of wood. It comes from the sap of the Rhus vernicifera, known as the "lacquer tree", found in the Far East and Southeast Asia. It is extracted by making an incision in the bark, giving it a viscous, grayish appearance. It is then subjected to a series of operations (filtering, homogenization, dehydration) to give it a transparent appearance, allowing it to be tinted in different colors (red, yellow, brown or green). Lacquer quality can vary according to season and harvest.
There are many different lacquer preparations and methodologies, varying from craftsman to craftsman and workshop to workshop. The Kintsugi urushi process is the authentic method used by Japanese craftsmen for hundreds of years. In keeping with this tradition, I use only natural ingredients in my work.
Each stage in the restoration of a broken part requires a great deal of work and attention.
First, the pieces have to be glued back together. The preparation I use consists of ki urushi and flour, known as mugi urushi. Once dry, this mixture becomes highly adhesive.
Drying takes an average of three days for small pieces. This is a very important stage! It must be carried out in an enclosed space, using a Muro (small box). We control its temperature and humidity (75% humidity for 25 - 30°). Humidity must be constant, as urushi lacquer can only dry in a humid environment! Drying must be complete to guarantee the quality and strength of the restoration.
After complete drying, the excess lacquered parts are then removed or removed with Joko charcoal.
The reassembled parts are then cleaned and finished with a mixture called Sabi, composed of Jinoko and ki urushi, which is then sanded. This step will define the final result of your assembly, and it's only at the end of this process that you can start applying the colored lacquers.
Kuro roiro black lacquer's primary function is to protect and waterproof the surface it covers. It is applied as a first coat. Subsequent coats, after drying and sanding, are called foundation because they reinforce the object's hold, filling in holes and grooves to create a smooth surface for the application of the decorative top coat of bengara lacquer.
Depending on artistic intentions, this layer of red lacquer can be used as a final decorative element, or in the case of kintsugi, as a substrate on which to sprinkle gold, silver or other metal powders (aluminum, copper, tin powder). After a brief drying phase, the powder is sprinkled onto the supporting lacquer using an aluminum or bamboo funzutsu tube, then delicately applied to the lacquer surface with an extremely flexible brush. The choice of powder type is up to you, according to your artistic desires and the value you wish to give to your piece.
Continued ... History of kintsugi
Didier Faillères - ©Kintsugi.art 2020 - Kintsugi What is it?