Kintsukuroi, the lesson of Berlin.

It means “to repair with gold”; the art of repairing pottery with gold or silver laquer and understanding that the piece is more beautiful by having been broken.

Towards the end of 2018 I moved to Berlin, and I have to think of this concept every time I am in the centre of Berlin. As everyones knows, Berlin has a rather complex history, but today this is gone, accepted, integrated, forgotten, forgiven. New life.

However, if you look carefully, I truly believe you can see the concept of Kintsukuroi in the urban beauty of Berlin. Obviously it was broken, but it has been repaired, rebuilt, to be relived.

The most clear example is the remains of the physical wall, they literally have been turned into art.

If this is current art work or past artwork, or the immense amount of chewing-gum at some places which I guess just means people “spit on it” in rather permanent way.

There is one beautiful version of Kintsukuroi I wanted to point out and share. This is the reason for this article.

Wherever the wall was, if it was somewhere where now a road is, or a building, a cyclepath, a terrace. There is a line, not quite laid with gold, but the bronze plaques always made me think of this reference.

Kintsukuroi in Berlin, the ancient Japanese art form as societal lesson. One of the most fitting implementations of “lest we forget” I have seen in the world.