Hito Kintsugi

Digital drawing using Procreate (2025)

Art Work was exhibited at the Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP) Annual Meeting 2025

 

This piece is inspired by kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, where an object's scars become symbols of transformation and beauty. Much like kintsugi, my art explores how individuals can embrace their physical and emotional scars-not as marks of brokenness, but as symbols of resilience and growth. While volunteering at the VA hospital, I witnessed the profound challenges patients faced after losing a limb. This artwork depicts the journey of a patient who had one of his legs amputated and struggled to reconcile his new life, grieving the loss of his path as a triathlon athlete. He grappled with self-image and identity, moving through the five stages of grief to come to terms with his injury and redefine his sense of self. With the guidance of PM&R physicians and a strong support system, he discovered that his injuries did not define him. Like the gold in kintsugi, his scars became symbols of transformation, strength, and a new way of being. This art reflects the journey of healing and adaptation, capturing the beauty and hope that can emerge from profound loss. My goal is to inspire viewers to reflect on the resilience of the human spirit and to understand that, although life's challenges may change us, we are never truly broken. Instead, we emerge different, stronger, and uniquely whole.