Visitors to a Hull shopping centre will be able to try a “profoundly beautiful” Japanese art form that involves piecing together broken pottery. The free workshops are being held at Princes Quay on Friday, October 10 as part of World Mental Health Day.
Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust runs the Recovery & Wellbeing College, which offers a free, comprehensive approach to promoting positive mental health. The college provides a broad array of activities and courses for local people to get involved in, improving their physical wellbeing and mental health.
Kintsugi is among the most popular activities and free sessions will be held at the Creative Connections Art Exhibition to highlight the importance of creativity in fostering positive mental health. The Japanese art form and philosophy involves repairing broken ceramics using lacquer mixed with powdered gold or silver, a technique literally translating to “joining with gold”.
Instead of concealing the cracks, Kintsugi accentuates them, celebrating the object’s history and embracing its imperfections and flaws. The connection to an individual’s perception of their own story is emphasised throughout the process by Recovery College practitioners.
Alongside this interactive session, attendees can also try mindful colouring and see a variety of art created by patients from Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust’s inpatient units, as well as members of the public who are invited to submit their own artwork for the exhibition.
(Image: Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust)
Sarah, who recently attended one of the sessions with Acho, the Humber Recovery & Wellbeing College practitioner, has spoken of how impactful the experience was and how it brought to life the idea of using creativity as a tool for mental health. She said: “When first I joined Acho’s class I was asked whether I was attending for therapeutic reasons or for crafting purposes, I replied that it was for crafting.
“However, as we went through the process, I could see exactly how rebuilding my ceramic bowl could be linked to my emotions. There is something profoundly beautiful about piecing something back together and learning to celebrate every unique flaw. I would urge anyone to try Kintsugi.”
The World Mental Health Day event will take place between 11am and 3pm on Friday, October 10 on the ground floor of Princes Quay Shopping Centre. The exhibition and workshops are free to attend and view.
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