If you've been following our Milan interviews, you'll have noticed that designers have been responding to our design prediction enquiry with thoughts of sustainability, re-use and quality, so here's an inspirational little exhibition currently on show in the Freer Gallery at the Smithsonian Institute which might provoke something interesting...

Running all the way through until November 8th, (Although it will be closed on May 11th and 22th, for the rotation of light-sensitive works) 'Golden Seams' is a small exhibit showcasing a beautiful ceramic repair technique developed by Japanese craftsmen, called 'Kintsugi'.

Drawing on the longstanding practice of using plant resin lacquer as an adhesive to re-join broken ceramics, the appearance of a repair was often transformed by sprinkling the lacquer with powdered gold, thus creating a new component for appreciation.

"Gold" lacquer repairs became closely associated with ceramic utensils used for tea and the show presents ceramics from China, Vietnam, Korea, and Japan mended and enhanced by this distinctive Japanese technique.