Kintsugi and the Art of Precious Scars

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I’ve been interested in creating fashion and beauty photographs inspired by mythological, historical and psychological themes.

Here is the first photo in a series I created in collaboration with make up artist Olena Al and model Asha Porteous inspired by Kintsugi. Kintsugi is a Japanese pottery practice where you repair broken artifacts with gold to ‘glue’ the broken parts. The idea is that the object becomes more beautiful exactly because it was broken and put together.

I thought this idea was so beautiful and I it would be a great metaphor to our psychological lives and the traumas we endure, and how going through these ordeals makes us stronger, better — and more beautiful. Olena named it ’The Art of Precious Scars’, and I thought it was a perfect name.

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Art Direction and Photography: Pedro Bonatto
Model: Asha Porteous
Make up: Olena Al

Shot with Canon 5D mk iii and Profoto B1 strobe.