In 2002, I took a class, figure sculpting with clay at 92nd St Y in New York City in 2002.  It was my first sculpture using a live model.  But somebody broke it.  I got shocked, traumatized and stopped making any more sculpture. 

For some reason, I didn't discard it including the small piece of ear torn off from the head all through my moves from New York City to Tokyo, Tokyo to Hong Kong, and Hong Kong to Singapore for as many as 20 years. 

I vaguely got interested in the Japanese traditional technique, Kintsugi with which broken porcelain plates etc. are repaired with lacquer and gold powder.  Coincidentally I had a chance to take an easy Kintsugi using glue and gold powder to repair broken porcelain plates and cups in June.  And I came up with an idea to apply that technique on my broken clay sculpture!  

I carried out the idea finally on July 29th and 30th, 2022.  I made it!!!  The broken sculpture in despair was reborn as a shiny and beautiful sculpture head in black and gold smiling proudly and in a victorious manner!!!

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