Kintsugi: The Art of Repair

8/10 UPDATE: The waitlist for this workshop is closed. This program is at capacity.

Mend a Vessel, Make Something New

Using contemporary kintsugi techniques, participants will repair a ceramic piece with gold-dusted lacquer, learning the Japanese art of "golden joinery" hands-on. Bring a vessel you'd like to break and repair, or work with one provided. No experience necessary — you'll leave with a one-of-a-kind, beautifully restored piece.

This workshop will be offered twice on Sunday, August 16, 2026. Session #1 is from 1-2:30pm and Session #2 is from 3-4:30pm. Please register for only one session. 

This workshop is offered alongside 1,000 Ways to Hold, Stanford Arts' 2025–26 Visiting Artist Erika Chong Shuch's participatory exhibition exploring care, connection, and the stories objects can hold. Like the bowls gathered in that exhibition, each kintsugi-repaired vessel becomes its own record of care — proof that what breaks can be remade, and that the act of repair can hold memory and connection just as well as the object itself.

About the Instructor

This workshop is led by Dr. Stephen Murphy-Shigematsu, a Stanford educator, psychologist, and author whose work bridges Japanese wisdom traditions, mindfulness, and the healing power of storytelling and art. Participants will leave with both a repaired object and a deeper sense of kintsugi's philosophy — embracing imperfection, compassion, and connection.

The 1,000 Ways to Hold will be on view in the Wisch Family Gallery from April 2 – August 17, 2026.