The next time you end up accidentally breaking that porcelain cup, don’t discard it immediately because there are some unique ways you can repair it. All you need to do is learn from Glen Taylor. The Ohio-based artist gives new life to broken ceramics with barbed wires, knives, scissors, and found objects like nails and cycle tires. While that may not sound visually appealing, you might be surprised by the results that accentuate the beauty of porcelain objects.
Taylor used to work with pottery but found it pretty limiting. Curiously, he experienced catharsis when he began breaking his ceramics into pieces. He had read about Kintsugi – the ancient Japanese art of putting broken pottery pieces back together with golden or silver lacquer that celebrates imperfections instead of hiding them - and wanted to experiment with it.
Related: 16 Quirky Ceramic Sculptures Inspired by Everyday Objects
Now, Taylor collects materials at estate sales and auctions, particularly those things that remind him of his childhood. He then breaks the old pottery and antique ceramics that belonged to his deceased grandmother and mother and mends them in quirky ways. The artist finds the process extremely therapeutic, and each new project is like a healing process for him.
Check out some of his best works below.
