Tea Ceremony

On Aug. 3, the artwork will be High Tea by Mella Jaarsma to life. As part of a performance, there will be a tea ceremony in the room. Stop by, enjoy art and a cup of tea, but also be aware of the history of this hot beverage.

When: Sunday, August 3
Time: 12 p.m.-1 p.m. 
Location: Kunsthal KAdE 
Costs: free on presentation of admission ticket

Tip: Combine your visit with the boarding tour from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. or then catch the intro in the Elbow Church at 1:30 p.m.

Mella Jaarsma, High Tea, 2014

This work explores the evolution of tea cultures, particularly how tea plantations in West Java were successfully developed only after 1826. I am fascinated by the longevity of tea trees, which can survive for generations. Since colonial times, tea trees in Indonesia are systematically replaced every 15 years by shoots from the old trees. The uprooted tea trees are then transported to the factory, where they are burned to power the drying and processing of new tea leaves-a cycle of consumption and renewal that keeps repeating itself. While researching this history, I discovered at a secondhand market, old block print plates used to print tea packaging from the late 1940s and 1950s. These prints reflect Indonesia's political transition to independence and serve as artifacts of a changing economic and cultural landscape- tracing the intersections of colonial legacies, trade and national identity