LEWES, DE — In a quiet studio, tucked away in Lewes, Delaware, Morty Bachar and his wife, Patti, who together run Lakeside Pottery Studio, create the ancient Japanese art of Kintsugi. The craft involves repairing broken pottery with powdered gold and turning what many would see as damaged goods into stunning works of art.
Kintsugi, which translates to "golden joinery," is more than just a method of repair; it's a philosophy that embraces imperfection and celebrates resilience. Legend has it that over 1,500 years ago, a Japanese king had a broken piece of pottery and repaired with gold, and thus, Kintsugi was born, itself, a metaphor.
“The Metaphor started, in a situation where something bad happened - and if you fix it, something better can occur.” said Bachar.
However, their artistry took on a new significance when they received an unexpected call from the White House last month. The request? To create a personal gift for Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
“Even though they had some difficulties with The White House prior, that present represented the coming together in a new form - and the Kintsugi represents the better going forward," Bachar added.
Bachar says it is not the first time The White House has reached out, doing a similar project just a few years prior for the previous Prime Minister.
The journey culminated in a visit to the White House, where Bachar and his daughter watched Prime Minister Kishida meet with President Biden in a welcome ceremony to the foreign leader.
He says the impact of the situation was lost to him, and a fate uber ride, with an immigrant driver, on the way to The White House showed just where life had taken him.
“That’s how I started my journey in the United States, driving a taxi in New York City - doing carpentry, struggling to buy a meal, and here I'm driven by someone who did what I’ve done - it really struck me. You go through life and you don’t realize the increments, but that was special." he said.
He says for him, Kintsugi is more than just a technique; it is an art people see themselves in.
And so, until the White House calls again, Morty Barchar will continue his work in Lewes, breathing new life into shattered fragments and proving that just because something is broken, doesn't mean it can't be beautiful.
