Kintsugi, acrylic
Marina Al Nimri
Monterey High School | Senior
My artwork allows me to speak when the words won’t come out of my mouth. I scribbled on the walls of my childhood home as a toddler before I could even learn how to talk. My upbringing as an artist has shaped the way I view my environment, and I incorporate those aspects of my life into my art through symbolism. My intention with any of my pieces is to attract attention, even for a split second, in hopes of leaving an impact on someone. I’m always delighted to hear different interpretations of my work from the audience.
I’ve experimented with various art supplies, and though I prefer to use colored pencils, I thought acrylic paint would better capture the essence and flow of this vase. I start out by laying down the darker shades and blending them in with transition colors and water, then I paint layers of brushstrokes as I go. I often explore themes of life and spirituality because there are powerful meanings behind them that are worth exploring. Much of my art is tied to my personal life and spiritual practices.
I’ve always admired this vase from afar in fear that I might accidentally break it if I got too close. Upon examining it up close for the first time, to my surprise, someone had already beat me to it. The golden, cracked porcelain piqued my curiosity. After looking more into it, I found out that the previous resident of my house was an elderly Japanese woman who left the vase for my family to keep. The title, Kintsugi refers to the traditional Japanese art of mending broken pottery using golden powder mixed with lacquer to stick the pieces back together. The philosophy behind this is to embrace flaws and imperfections.