‘Flower Power: Aster’, kintsugi portrait sculpture by Billie Bond

This superb figurative sculpture is by contemporary artist Billie Bond. Following a successful career as a designer of children’s furniture and interiors, Bond completed her MA in Sculptural Practice in 2016. Her sculptures, which focus on the human form, have been exhibited internationally, at renowned institutions such as the Saatchi Gallery. In 2018, Bond was selected to be a member of the Royal Society of Sculptors, and in 2021 as a member of the Society of Portrait Sculptors.

This bust forms part of a conversational pair entitled ‘Flower Power’, with this male figure entitled ‘Aster’. Cast from stoneware, the man is positioned in a typical classical pose, elegantly looking over his right shoulder. The bust is fired with a beautiful pale grey glaze. After firing, Bond intentionally smashes the sculpture, before piecing it back together with a lacquer mixed with powdered gold. This kintsugi (Japanese, 金継ぎ, "golden joinery") technique is an ancient Japanese philosophical craft practice, that aims to honour the trauma of breakage and acknowledge the importance of repair. Bond’s use of the technique for this pair evokes the journey of healing from psychological trauma.

Applied to the gold cracks are several floral porcelain fragments, which Bond has reclaimed from traditional 19^th and 20^th century porcelain wares. By having these antique porcelain flowers emerging from the cracks, Bond both connects her sculptures to the history of ceramic craft and also invokes the idea of the healing power of nature.

The bust stands on a flared Jesmonite plinth that further evokes a sense of refined classicism.

This superb, sculpted portrait combines antique traditions with contemporary innovation. View the other sculpture in the pair here.