Wandi Riyadi: Smooth Kintsugi Bent Pot with Ivorite Tobacco Pipe

Hailing from Tasikmalaya, West Java, Indonesia, Wandi Riyadi is one of few artisans from the nation, inspired by the artistry of handmade pipes from carvers such as Bo Nordh, Hiroyuki Tokutomi, and Sixten Ivarsson. As such, Riyadi's work boasts an impressively Danish and Japanese-influenced style that values complex, organic detail, sophisticated structure, and rich curves. This bent Pot is truly a unique piece, not just from Riyadi, but in general, as it's the first pipe we've ever seen that leverages the unique look of traditional Japanese kintsugi. Kintsugi translates literally from Japanese as "golden joinery" and is a method of pottery repair that dates back to around the late 15th century, where pieces of broken ceramic are joined together with urushi lacquer that's been mixed with the powdered form of a precious metal: most often gold. Kintsugi has become both an art form and a philosophy in its own regard, with great aesthetic significance placed on the new asymmetry of the piece and the history that the repair represents, with kintsugi existing in a similar sphere as the philosophy of wabi-sabi. Kintsugi teaches one to appreciate the beauty in what many consider to be flaws, the golden seams highlighting areas once broken but now rendered sturdy, each object reflecting change as in the lives of the people that use them. Here, Riyadi has utilized a traditional Kintsugi method across the stummel of a plump bent Pot rendition, one boasting ample curvature to appreciate in hand while maintaining a reserved length well-suited to travel smoking. The transition is wide and cheeked, emphasizing the curves of the bowl and allowing the shank to stylistically extend through the underside of the bowl before giving way to a fairly trim, curling shank. This shank maintains a consistent breadth as it rises to meet a broad fitment of Ivorite, acting as the junction to a sleek saddle stem of black vulcanite that's been subtly downturned at the bit for more comfortable smoking. Up front, the bowl stands on a rounded heel and grows into a low-set waistline of ample breadth, its walls making a slight, arcing taper to the domed rim before a subtle chamfer leads into the chamber. The right flank of the stummel here has been carved with a fine bit, creating a continuous seam that lines the lower shank and rises into the bowl, and this seam has been filled with urushi lacquer and powdered gold to achieve the iconic appearance of kintsugi. The effect draws the eye toward the myriad swirls of birdseye that populate the right side of the stummel, and the golden lacquer joins the ivorite in richly contrasting the briar's warm, chestnut-toned stain.