Japan Week | Kintsugi Demonstration with Aki Motoyama

When

Wednesday June 18, 2025: 1:30pm to 2:30pm  Add to Calendar /   Add to Google Calendar

Where

Downtown Library: 1st Floor Lobby

Description

Delve into the Japanese art of Kintsugi (in Japanese, it means golden joinery or golden repair) with artist Aki Motoyama. Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending the areas of breakage with urushi lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. Aki will be using gold for the demonstration.

Aki Motoyama is a kintsugi artist based in Japan. Born in Tokyo, Aki developed a passion for arts and crafts at a young age and became deeply interested in traditional Japanese crafts after moving to the United States. She earned her BFA degree from the U of M School of Arts and Design and her Master of Design degree from Domus Academy in Milan, Italy.

Aki honed her skills in kintsugi and maki-e techniques under the guidance of several esteemed artists. Her work has been exhibited in galleries across Tokyo. 

Today, Aki repairs her clients' pottery by taking orders online, ensuring each piece is restored with meticulous care. She communicates deeply with her clients to customize the repair method for their cherished belongings. In addition to her restoration work, Aki occasionally holds private lessons, sharing her expertise and passion for kintsugi with others.

This demo is repeated at 5:30pm.

This event is part of Japan Week 2025 in partnership with the University of Michigan Center for Japanese Studies.