Tea Culture:
A day without tea? Unimaginable!

In the West, we simply drop a tea bag into the water and think we are drinking tea. However, during longer stays in Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, I have learned that drinking tea is a celebration. The tea ceremony is not only cherished as a moment of reflection throughout Asia, but also as an art form. The tea ceremony is a ritual gathering that can last several hours in Japan, for example. The rituals of the ceremony are hundreds of years old and follow strict rules. The principles of harmony, respect, purity and silence are the core values. Among other things, guests are expected to admire the beauty and uniqueness of the tea bowls.

Taiwanese tea art is not only about setting out teapots, tea cups and other utensils on the table, but also about arranging the tea table with various tablecloths, flags and flower arrangements, the so-called “tea banquet”. All the senses are meant to be involved, and aesthetics and presentation are meant to be included in the process of tea art: seeing, tasting, touching, smelling. High-quality loose tea, exquisite tea sets, beautiful tea bowls, fragrant incense, and eye-catching flower arrangements. Ceremonial aspects refer to the etiquette of the tea ceremony, including the attire of the tea master, the interaction with the tea drinkers and the general behavior.

Tea bowls are made by hand in a laborious process and glazed by hand, based on traditional models. The irregularity and imperfection of the vessels is an important characteristic.

Vases: are often filled with only one or two beautiful branches. The eye should be able to rest.

The rotating selection of artifacts displayed here is intended to give visitors a sense of the diversity of my ceramic work.