Kintsugi: Journey of fracture, healing, and hope

• Kintsugi is on display for a few days more at Level 23, Cinnamon Life, Colombo

Stepping into Level 23, Cinnamon Life Colombo and coming face to face with Anoma Wijewardene’s Kintsugi – the panels, the poetry, the power – felt like walking into the middle of a whispered yet deeply meaningful conversation. This exhibit of paintings, video and laser-cut prints on a mirror base, which was first presented at the 58th Venice Biennale by the first solo Sri Lankan artist invited to do so, takes its name and spirit from the Japanese practice of repairing broken ceramics with gold.

In a world where the cracks are becoming increasingly evident, Wijewardene’s work resonates immediately and strikes a chord in exactly the right place – the mind’s heart – as she reminds us through compelling visual, textual and auditory media that a fractured world need not end; it will be repaired, with a reminder of its brokenness being ever-present.

The central installation drew me in with its delicate yet commanding presence. “Floating” laser-panels hung like pillars, etched with Wijewardene’s prints, fragmented yet whole. I found myself lingering, caught between wanting to move forward and staying still to absorb the moment. As I moved along, I felt that I was searching for a unifying factor, only to realise that that unity exists within the diversity of the cracks and breaks, and in the solidarity between humans in a world where suffering takes centre-stage.

Acclaimed, Booker Prize shortlisted author Romesh Gunesekera adds another type of gold to the exhibit. A book of his poetry written for the paintings brings a whole new meaning to the idea of “unity through diversity”. The words don’t describe the painting; they complement it and awake the mind’s eye. Suddenly, I am seeing the “crackling countryside crumpled by gelignite” that Gunesekera describes in Wijewardene’s abstract representation. Gunesekera’s process is also one of fragmentation and reassembling with added value. A sonnet, broken down line by line, and then each line expanded upon into poems of their own, walk hand in hand with the 14 paintings in the book. Yet another take on Kintsugi – visual works held together and made more impactful through the cracks – the words – that bind with each other to hold something whole again.

Oscar-nominated composer Sharon Smith draws from many forms of music to create a sound that represents a journey of deconstruction and reconstruction. The music, combined with Gunesekera’s authoring voice reciting his poetry, come together with the paintings to symbolise the ultimate recreation – of many forms of art coming together to invoke a feeling of unity through collaboration.

The artistic collaboration – which came about unplanned, and by chance – shows not only the versatility of emotional expression of a world fractured by disaster but of the hope that all fractured parts can be put together and create something more beautiful, more alluring and more whole. This is a celebration of unity through collaboration and a warning to be heeded, of the power of coming together in times of adversity.

Kintsugi didn’t feel like an art exhibit in the conventional sense—it felt like an act of compassion, and rebellion. This response to an increasingly fragmented world accented by war, climate change, social breakdowns and that all-consuming loss of freedom, is a powerful counterpoint to our instinct to throw away: take the time to repair, rebuild and find beauty in that process.

When I left the exhibit, I found myself looking at the cracks of Colombo differently. They weren’t just signs of wear; they were reminders of endurance. That’s what Kintsugi does so well—it shifts your perspective, not with grand gestures but with quiet, insistent truths.

It’s not just an exhibit I’d recommend; it’s one I’ll carry with me.

Kintsugi is on display for a few days more at Level 23, Cinnamon Life, Colombo. What awaits you is a welcomed sensory assault where visual media combines with text and sound to transport you to within your very own soul – and within the collective soul of a collective people. Don’t miss this last chance to see Kintsugi, which was first shown in 2019 at the 58th Venice Biennale.

Sri Lankan contemporary artist Anoma Wijewardene is an alumna of the iconic Central St Martins College, University of the Arts, London. An icon in her own right, Anoma’s international solo shows include those in Sydney, Kuala Lumpur, New Delhi, Maldives, Dubai, London, and notably, her work has been celebrated at the legendary Sotheby’s in Hong Kong. Anoma has designed for clients such as Yves St Laurent, Pierre Cardin, Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren, and her design was on the cover of Vogue Magazine UK, which was her very first commissioned work. Anoma is the first spotlight artist at Cinnamon Life, Colombo, and was recently featured at the Sri Lanka Design Festival, under the banner of Mercedes Benz art.