HENKA

Our blue planet, in the grip of climate change, reminds us of the vital importance of water. Henka (change, in Japanese) is a restored and vegetated ceramic vase, an ode to this precious resource. By combining the fragility of ceramics, the strength of nature, and the precision of the artistic gesture, I hope to raise public awareness of the challenges of water preservation. This vase is a metaphor for our world, where the scars of the past can be transformed into sources of renewal.

PRESENTATION:

The vase has a classic pot-bellied shape, evoking the organic forms of nature. The ceramic, in a satin green, offers a smooth surface that contrasts with the brilliance of gold.

The cracks repaired with kintsugi create a delicate network of golden lines that runs across the surface of the vase. A verdant moss and a ivy, bring a touch of life and color to the whole. The combination of materials as varied as ceramic, gold, moss and plant creates a rich and complex composition.

Kintsugi, a Japanese technique of repairing ceramics using lacquer and gold, celebrates the beauty of imperfections. In this work, the golden cracks are not only repairs, but become decorative elements that emphasize the history of the object. They symbolize resilience, transformation and the beauty that is born of fragility.

Ceramics are an inert material par excellence. It is here associated with life through the integration of plants. It represents stability, permanence, but also fragility in the face of shocks and time.

The plants, symbols of life and growth, contrast with the inert nature of ceramics. They bring a temporal dimension to the work, recalling that life continues even in the most hostile environments.

Water, although not visible, is omnipresent. The vase is filled with it, thus serving as a reservoir of life for plants. It is what nourishes the plants, which allowed the creation of the ceramic and which may have caused the cracks repaired with kintsugi. Water here is a symbol of life, transformation and cycle.

INTERPRETATION:

It is a powerful metaphor for life and nature. It invites us to celebrate the beauty of imperfections, to recognize the strength that resides in fragility and to marvel at the ability of life to adapt and thrive in the most difficult environments. The vase, an inanimate object, is transformed into a miniature ecosystem, a microcosm where life flourishes.

The combination of kintsugi and living plants creates a dialogue between art and nature, between past and present. This work is an invitation to contemplation, to meditation on the passage of time and on our place in the world.

RESILIENCE AS A COMMON THREAD

The resilience of plants: Plants that grow in the cracks of rocks, symbolize par excellence resilience. They embody the ability of life to flourish in the most difficult conditions, to transform adversity into an opportunity for growth. In this work, they represent the strength of nature to regenerate and adapt.

The resilience of repaired ceramics: Kintsugi, the art of repairing broken ceramics with gold, is a powerful metaphor for resilience. The cracks, far from being signs of weakness, become decorative elements that add to the beauty of the object. They testify to a history, a journey, and remind us that trials can make us stronger.

The resilience of man in the face of environmental challenges: Man, like ceramics and plants, is able to face challenges and rebuild. We can draw on the resilience of nature to find the resources needed to face environmental challenges.

HARMONY BETWEEN MAN AND NATURE

Interdependence between man and nature: the work emphasizes the deep interconnection between man and his environment. The plants, which depend on ceramics to survive, just as ceramics depend on plants to come to life, symbolize this symbiotic relationship.

The importance of preserving biodiversity: By showcasing living plants, I draw attention to biodiversity and its importance for the balance of ecosystems. This work is a call to preserve this diversity which is essential to our survival.

Art as a vector of awareness: Art has the power to raise awareness and provoke reflection. Through its beauty and simplicity, this work invites the viewer to question his relationship with nature and to become aware of the importance of preserving it.

CONCLUSION

HENKA, through the alliance of ceramics, kintsugi and living plants, is an invitation to celebrate the beauty of life in all its forms. It reminds us that fragility and resilience are two sides of the same coin. By showing us how art can repair what is broken and give a second life to matter, I invite the viewer to look to the future with optimism. Much more than a simple object; it is a metaphor for our world, a call to harmony between man and nature.