<div dir="ltr"><div><span id="gmail-docs-internal-guid-ea65ac8d-7fff-66e6-22b4-8f1733e4c429"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Noto Sans",sans-serif;color:rgb(27,28,29);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Dear BC museum community members,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Noto Sans",sans-serif;color:rgb(27,28,29);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">The Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre is proud to announce the opening of </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Noto Sans",sans-serif;color:rgb(27,28,29);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">"Beautifully Broken – Kintsugi by Naoko Fukumaru,"</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Noto Sans",sans-serif;color:rgb(27,28,29);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> an exquisite exhibition that explores the ancient Japanese art of kintsugi, or "golden joinery." The exhibit will run from October 14, 2025, to February 21, 2026, with an opening reception on Saturday, October 11, 2025, from 2:00-5:00pm.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Noto Sans",sans-serif;color:rgb(27,28,29);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Kintsugi is a 500-year-old tradition of repairing broken ceramics by mending them with natural Urushi lacquer and powdered gold. Instead of hiding the damage, this technique highlights it, celebrating the unique history of the object and the passage of time.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Noto Sans",sans-serif;color:rgb(27,28,29);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Vancouver-based artist Naoko Fukumaru uses this practice as both a craft and a meditative process. Her work offers a powerful metaphor for personal healing, suggesting that like broken pottery, our own cracks and imperfections can become a beautiful part of our story.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Noto Sans",sans-serif;color:rgb(27,28,29);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Fukumaru's art respects the traditional materials and methods of kintsugi while also pushing its boundaries with instinctive and innovative techniques. Her unique approach redefines what restoration can mean, connecting history and emotion in works that are both raw and radiant.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Noto Sans",sans-serif;color:rgb(27,28,29);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">This exhibition invites viewers to reflect on what it means to be beautifully broken—and to find strength and beauty in the imperfect.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:"Noto Sans",sans-serif;color:rgb(27,28,29);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Exhibit website: <a href="https://centre.nikkeiplace.org/exhibits/beautifully-broken/">https://centre.nikkeiplace.org/exhibits/beautifully-broken/</a></span></p></span><img src="cid:ii_mg007s710" alt="Beautifully-Broken_opening-evite.jpg" width="360" height="504"></div><div><br></div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:rgb(102,102,102)">Nichola Ogiwara</span><span lang="JA" style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"MS Gothic";color:rgb(102,102,102)">　</span><span lang="JA" style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Kozuka Gothic Pr6N R",sans-serif;color:rgb(102,102,102)">荻原にこら</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(34,34,34)"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:rgb(102,102,102)">Communications Coordinator<br></span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:red">Nikkei</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:rgb(102,102,102)"> National Museum & Cultural Centre</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(34,34,34)"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span lang="JA" style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Kozuka Gothic Pr6N R",sans-serif;color:rgb(102,102,102)">日系文化センター・博物館</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:"Kozuka Gothic Pr6N R",sans-serif;color:rgb(102,102,102)"><br></span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:rgb(102,102,102)">6688 Southoaks Crescent, Burnaby BC  V5E 4M7</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(102,102,102)"><br></span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:rgb(102,102,102)">604.777.7000 ext.109  <br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Century Gothic",sans-serif;color:rgb(102,102,102)"><a href="mailto:ogiwara@nikkeiplace.org" target="_blank">ogiwara@nikkeiplace.org</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-repeat:initial"><font color="#666666" face="Century Gothic, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:13.3333px"><a href="http://centre.nikkeiplace.org" target="_blank">centre.nikkeiplace.org</a></span></font></p></div></div></div></div>