This approach resonates with the concept of mu (nothingness) in Zen philosophy, yet Hara’s interpretation is distinctly materialist. The voids in her work do not signify spiritual emptiness, but rather the tangible loss of history. The light passing through the broken lattice of a Hara vessel transforms the object from a container of matter into a container of light.
To understand Hara’s innovation, one must first deconstruct the traditional philosophy of kintsugi . Historically, kintsugi is an act of care. It treats breakage as a unique history of the object, enhancing the damage with gold or silver lacquer to highlight the "scars" rather than disguising them. It is an acceptance of impermanence. chitose hara