“The Cracks Are How the Light Gets In”: Behind the Dublin Samaritans Kintsugi Mural by TBWA\Dublin

Every now and then you come across something that feels like a sucker punch – the kind of thing that leaves you with a lump in your throat. 

In Japanese art, the ancient practice of Kintsugi – which directly translates to ‘golden joinery’ – refers to the process of repairing broken pottery with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. While being a mastered practical method of repair, it's also rife with symbolism. The idea of something once broken and unusable, being mended in a way that almost adds value, acts as a strong metaphor for life's hardships. The ‘broken’ parts of ourselves don’t result in ruination. Instead, they can be merged together, adding to character and beauty, revealing a renewed sense of strength.

TBWA\Dublin has been working with the Dublin Samaritans since 2020. Close to the company’s heart is the organisation's vital suicide prevention service, and the team of incredible volunteers who run it. They wanted to create something that would show how talking can be a crucial component in the process of healing – part of the powdered gold that can help put pieces back together.

So often the things that amalgamate into marvels take a village to accomplish. Artist Joe Caslin painted the portrait of Cork-born writer and poet, Daragh Flemming, who himself in the past leant on the Samaritans services. The 60” hero video is sounded by a gripping poem written and read by Daragh, to the backdrop of ‘Opal’ – a track donated free of charge by eminent Belfast electronic-duo, Bicep.

We spoke to the team to find out how they made the project happen. 

LBB> Tell us about the creative process behind the mural concept, from ideation to execution.

Niall Staines, creative director at TBWA\Dublin> The concept is simple. Extended periods of stress, trauma and grief all severely impact our mental health, leaving us feeling in disrepair. But in talking, people can help begin a process of healing.

We wanted to capture this in one powerful image. So our idea was to align the vital service provided by Dublin Samaritans with the ancient Japanese art of Kintsugi.

The idea was to create a portrait of a cracked individual in an open space for all to see. All the public would see was a cracked mural. Over time those cracks would be filled with gold, transforming the portrait into something more than a sum of its parts, and enforcing the message that cracks can be more than repaired through talking, and being listened to, by the Dublin Samaritans. 

LBB> What can you tell us about the decision to choose Joe Caslin as the artist for the project? What was this collaboration like?

Niall> Joe was the perfect choice for this project. His towering portraits are as emotionally powerful as they are visually arresting. The fact that he exclusively works in monochrome meant that adding the gold to the cracks would be extra potent.

LBB> Can you discuss the significance of choosing Montague Lane as the location for the mural?

Niall> The high footfall was a significant factor when planning the campaign. We wanted the mural to be created in a place that is an active walkthrough throughout the day to day life of Dublin.

LBB> How does the concept of Kintsugi tie into the overall metaphor of the campaign and why was it chosen as a metaphor? 

Niall> Kintsugi is a Japanese artform that involves repairing ceramics. Rather than hide the repairs however, the broken lines are filled in and highlighted with gold paint. This becomes a way to show the history of the object.

The visual symbolism has a strong and clear resonance with Samaritans, and we used this as a visual metaphor to show how the act of talking helps people feel a sense of repair. 

LBB> What challenges were faced in bringing this campaign to life, and how were they overcome?

Yvonne Caplice, business director at TBWA\Dublin> One of the biggest challenges was actually keeping this concept alive and keeping the momentum behind it. It was approximately 12 months in the making – from when we first presented it to the client, to when it went live. From the moment we presented the idea in early 2023, our client Olwyn absolutely loved it, but due to budget and other marketing commitments, Dublin Samaritans weren’t in a position to kick off the campaign at that point. The wet Irish autumn and winter meant we couldn’t go live in Q4, but we kept pushing, kept driving, kept the energy behind it and finally got the greenlight to start planning for Q1 2024 – and here we are! 

We had significant challenges in securing a suitable site for the artwork. The original location we had selected turned out to be a bureaucratic nightmare, including more than three months of back and forth on planning permission, traffic management plans, insurances of every possible nature, strict rules about what we could and couldn’t shoot, how long we could be on site, weekly delays to the permissions and still after all that time – no guaranteed live date in sight! So, even after all that hard work, we had to reluctantly abandon those plans and start the location search afresh.

Our final location was a godsend – Joe knew the homeowners, who loved the concept and really wanted to be a part of the project. So they offered us the gable end of their home with grace. The site was perfect, with lots of pedestrian footfall and high impact visibility from Camden Street – one of Dublin’s liveliest streets – so it really was meant to be. One of the agency’s client’s, Glenveagh, very kindly sponsored the cherry picker forklift, however on the day before the installation, we got a phone call from the hire company to say that the machine was out of order and they didn’t have another one available for us! Mild panic ensured, but thanks to the resourcefulness of our account director Katie, an alternative one was sourced quickly and arrived on time the next morning.

LBB> Could you elaborate on the decision to feature Daragh Fleming in both the mural and accompanying video, and how his personal experience adds to the campaign's authenticity?

Niall> Daragh is the face of the mural and the voice of our video. He was chosen as he has had his own battles with mental health and has come out the other side through sharing his story. He wrote a piece of poetry which became the narrative for the video. We loved the fact that it’s the face in the portrait telling the story. 

LBB> Tell us about the contribution from Bicep with their iconic track ‘Opal’? 

Niall> We contacted Bicep on a wing and a prayer thinking nothing would come of it. They were so generous and basically opened their entire back catalogue to us. We felt ‘Opal’ was the perfect track to drive the piece. 

LBB> How does the hero video produced by Bolt enhance the narrative and what was the intention behind its creation?

Matthieu Chardon, creative lead, head of Bolt> Within our niche production team, we strive for projects like this. Our goal was to transcend mere process documentation, creating an advertisement that not only captivates visually but also immerses the audience, compelling them to feel a part of an important narrative. Directed and filmed by Leah Byrne and I, the film seamlessly blends photos, videos, satellite imagery, drone footage, and various visual techniques into a breath taking yet soothing one-minute experience, elevated by Daragh Fleming's incredible poem. Additionally, I got the opportunity to edit the video on a Bicep track. A real treat, and we extend our heartfelt thanks to them for their contribution. As per Avondale Studios, with Kevin who made the sound design and mix brilliantly.

I must also acknowledge the indispensable contributions of Megan, Zsofi, Katie, and Yvonne, and Anita, whose diligent work over several months of preparation laid the foundation for such a successful production.

Furthermore, I always strive to cultivate a calm and creative atmosphere on set, although this time, Joe Caslin's unparalleled energy, vision, and spirit effortlessly set the tone. We were truly inspired by both the art and the person behind it.

LBB> Finally, what impact does TBWA\Dublin hope this campaign will have on destigmatising mental health struggles and encouraging open conversation about them?

Niall> Our amazing client Olywn turned to me as we were finishing the mural and said. ‘If we can save even one person with this we’ll have done our job’ – a couple of days later she told us a volunteer had a call from someone who saw the mural, they felt cracked and needed help.