One of my friends recently fought cancer. Luckily the treatment worked and he is now cancer free. Through times of uncertainty and pain, he achieved new insight and personal growth. Now he stands victoriously at the end of the experience feeling proud and stronger than before.

His journey reminded me of the Japanese tradition kintzugi (golden repair), the art of repairing broken pottery by gluing the areas of breakage with gold. As a philosophy it treats breakage and repair as a part of history, not something to disguise. Something that has bin broken is more valuable than it was before it broke. 

I painted my friends body with white paint to make him look like a sculpture of marble or porcelain. When the paint dried, and my friend moved, the paint cracked. In the cracks I painted gold. 

Sending congratulations to my friend on his victory, and I send love to all those who are fighting cancer and the people who are close to them. 

“Golden Repair”.

160cm x 100cm.

Oil on canvas.

Will be available on print.