Promo visual story for Mitä Kuuluu no.5: The Picnic, an experiential exhibition on 17/18 May 2019.
Promo visual for Mitä Kuuluu no.5: The Picnic https://bit.ly/2ZiY35E
Segment 1 of the exhibition, Mitä Kuuluu no.5: The Picnic
Segment 2 of the exhibition, Mitä Kuuluu no.5: The Picnic
The Tearoom Project is about mindfulness by using tea as a medium. Tea tasting requires a slower pace of mind and action, by participating in this activity, we depart temporarily from the world and arrive in the present. Simply be aware of the experience rather than chasing after it. In this project context, tea drinking has become an improvisational act to interact with the audience; It is a fundamental guide to investigate the role of an artist and audience, and to blur the boundary of art and life.
This project is intended to make art more approachable and appreciative in a “layman” manner. When we view a piece of artwork with our sight, at times we may not be able to interpret what we see in an art piece, but we could taste and understand the taste of tea on our palette and this interaction itself form an understanding of what is being expressed. While it is ambiguous to differentiate whether it is an art performance or a daily mundane act of tea drinking, this is the methodology to blur the boundary of art and life where the gap between the artist and the audience is minimise at the same time.
The Tearoom Project could be carried out at site-specific and non-site-specific locations. For site-specific tearoom, the concept will be based on the context of that specific location. For non-site-specific tearoom, the idea is to re-identify the use of an area by initiating a temporary tearoom at sites which had already been devoted to a specific purpose.
Check out the projects here.
The Glass House Tearoom (Tea ceremony)
A “glass house” which was previously a florist has been taken over and turned into a pop-up tearoom. It was located in the heart of Millenia Walk Shopping Mall ground floor, the aim was to provide a “breathing space” in the midst of the busy urban environment and hustling lifestyle to the general public. The concept of this tearoom derived from the previous identity of this space, hence we collaborated with the florist where we conceptualised the plant arrangement and made use of the reflective glass structure to create a curious space where people could slow down, ponder and explore albeit in the midst of their busy schedules. Aiwei was wearing a wearable mat where she shared it with the guests as it spread open (the guests were able to sit on top). It was designed and made for The Glass House Tearoom. Using cotton jersey knit fabric, it forms a big circular shape by combining 8 huge “triangular” slices together.
The Tearoom Project (Tea Ceremony and Sound Collaboration)
Taste and hearing were the two main senses of interest for this specific collaborative project with Kent Lee, a Malaysian sound artist and musician. As our tongues are accustomed to rich flavours and our ears are exposed to all sorts of sound pollution, this session allowed the senses and mind to retreat to simplicity.
This session is best experienced with:
No frantic scrolling on your social media apps.
No checking of emails or messages.
A little bit of stillness.
Bukit Batok Tearoom (Tea ceremony)
This was a non-site-specific tearoom in which the idea was to re-identify the use of an area by initiating a temporary tearoom at sites which had already been devoted to a specific purpose. This was setup at a rooftop garden of a public housing. The general public was invited to join the tea session. During the session, the guests were guided step by step to appreciate the taste of tea and learn how to take time for this enjoyment.
Tearoom in the Van (Tea ceremony)
Place within a place. Tearoom in the Van is a by appointment project for the public, to give themselves a chance to be mindful by being in an unfamiliar setting. Though unfamiliar, the process of drinking tea has the ability to slow the pace of the city dwellers. Upon slowing down, one is able to see what they usually cannot see, hear what they usually cannot here and taste what they usually cannot taste by being with the present moment.
Tearoom in the Van (Tea ceremony)
Place within a place. Tearoom in the Van is a by appointment project for the public, to give themselves a chance to be mindful by being in an unfamiliar setting. Though unfamiliar, the process of drinking tea has the ability to slow the pace of the city dwellers. Upon slowing down, one is able to see what they usually cannot see, hear what they usually cannot here and taste what they usually cannot taste by being with the present moment.
Overhead Tearoom (Art installation, Audio-visual presentation, Tea ceremony)
This scaffolding structure was specially designed in accordance to the building, which was previously a chapel. As the entrance of the chapel was inhabited by twin rustic doors, this one-to-one Overhead Tearoom created a temporary tunnel that led its audience from a modernised city to the humble walls of contemporaries. The raw industrial material was intentionally selected because they were usually used to build impermanent structure at the construction site, and yet, this structure was fixed, rigid and sturdy which was quite an irony to their existence. Therefore, through tea drinking and interacting with the guests at this impermanent tearoom, we questioned the journey of where life is taking us. With the question asked, perhaps we will be reminded of the limited time we are given in this life.
The video projection of the foliage gave a hint of nature within the architectural space. With the sound design that resembled a rumbling drone machine, the experience was a stimulation and challenge to the senses.
Fitness Corner Tearoom (Tea ceremony)
A fitness corner is located at almost every public housing neighbourhood across the island. It is a space that caters for human well-being and has become one of our site of interest in converting public spaces into a tearoom.
Staircase Tearoom (Tea ceremony)
This long flight of stairs is a common site in every public housing. Similar to Fitness Corner Tearoom, its original function has been extended by re-purposing it into a temporary tearoom.
Shaman Tearoom is a collaborative project between Aiwei Foo and Kent Lee. Their latest project was a performative tearoom specially performed for the exhibition, Singapore Ceramics Now! 2021, also a part of the Singapore Art Week programme. Please go to Shaman Tearoom’s Youtube channel to watch the recorded live session as well as other works. Please do not forget to subscribe!