Exhibitions at the Embassy of Japan

© Shun Takano Courtesy of KAMON KOGEI / TOSHIO SHIMIZU ART OFFICE

THE NEW LOOK OF TEA
20 November - 10 January 2020

Open weekdays 09:30 - 17:30, closed weekends and Embassy holidays.
Admission is free, but photo ID is necessary to gain entry to the Embassy.

The Embassy of Japan
101-104 Piccadilly, London W1J 7JT

THE NEW LOOK OF TEA reflects on and re-examines the culture of tea in Japan, known as sadō, culminating in the suggestion of a new, modern way of enjoying Japanese tea.

The exhibition brings to the forefront the role of the utensils involved in a tea ceremony, drawing connections between how each one contributes to the overall pleasure of taking part in taking tea. No item involved in a tea ceremony is there without having been intentionally chosen; from the calligraphy and flower arrangements, to the tea caddies and tea bowls, each one serves a purpose in contributing to the overall aesthetic feeling of the tea ceremony.

The works in the exhibition were compiled by Jihei Murase III, whose lacquerware tea ceremony utensils, known for being atypical in shape and design, are also on display. This is an interdisciplinary exhibition, covering a wide range of Japan’s aesthetic heritage. It is hoped that visitors will recognise traditional aspects of the tea ceremony, whilst also experiencing a contemporary way of taking tea; THE NEW LOOK OF TEA.


Artists:
Daisuke Isamoto, Yuichi Inoue, Hyoe Imai, Shigeru Uchida, Machiko Ogawa, Ryuichi Kakurezaki, Masanao Kaneda, Shinobu Kawase, Taizo Kuroda, Hiraki Sawa, Seimei Tsuji, Koji Hatakeyama, Suroku Harada, Yasunari Matsui, Jihei Murase, Kazu Yamada