An Analysis of the Relationship Between Kintsugi and Wabi-Sabi in the Context of Contemporary Thought: From the Aesthetics of Imperfection to the Philosophy of Impermanence

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between kintsugi as an embodiment of the aesthetics of imperfection and wabi-sabi as a philosophy of impermanence within the framework of contemporary thought. In Japanese tradition, kintsugi demonstrates that fracture and imperfection can become a source of beauty, while wabi-sabi emphasizes the acceptance of transience, simplicity, and insufficiency as the foundation of aesthetics. Despite their fundamental commonalities, the relationship between these two perspectives has rarely been examined from a philosophical standpoint. Adopting an analytical–philosophical approach, this research argues that kintsugi and wabi-sabi are not only complementary within the Japanese aesthetic tradition but can also be reinterpreted in dialogue with contemporary thought, such as existentialism and the aesthetics of absence. The findings of this reinterpretation may offer responses to contemporary crises, including consumerism, disposability culture, and excessive perfectionism. Thus, this study seeks to demonstrate how analyzing the relationship between kintsugi and wabi-sabi can lead to a renewed understanding of beauty, fracture, and impermanence in both art and life.