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September
17 – October 22, 1995
World
Tea Party
A
Collaboration by Daniel Dion, Bryan Mulvihill,
Marc Patch & Su Schnee
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A
pan-cultural, interactive installation which takes the form of an
archetypal tea salon, this project draws upon the ritual of tea
drinking as a metaphor for the dialogue between peoples, and their
spiritual and aesthetic ideals. Tea served in the afternoons.
Catalogue
including texts by Jennifer Fisher and Steven Holtzman.
Installation objects and art work courtesy of many regional museums
and archives, individual collectors, and dozens of contemporary
artists from across Canada and beyond.
Tea plant installation by Vancouver artist Mike MacDonald on the
Presentation House grounds.
Supported by the Canada Council, the Banff Centre for the Arts,
le Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, the Hong Kong
Bank of Canada, the Tea Council of Canada, the Hamber Foundation,
the North Shore Credit Union, Murchie's Tea & Coffee Ltd., Metropolitan
Home, Uno Langmann Ltd., ArtsFACT - a cultural initiative of QM/FM,
T Oasis in Nobo, Tom Lee Music, KM Keyboard Moving Ltd. and the
Western Front. Tea generously supplied by Murchie's Tea & Coffee,
T Oasis in Nobo, National Importers (Twinings Tea) and Overwaitea
Food Group. World Tea Party is endorsed by the Canadian Committee
for the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations and is dedicated
to the UNESCO World Decade for Cultural Development.
SPECIAL EVENTS (In the Gallery unless otherwise noted)
* Chasing the Moon Tea Ceremony by Vincent C. Y. Sze.
Part of the Mid Autumn Moon Festival at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical
Chinese Garden,
578 Carrall Street, Vancouver, Sept.8-10. On Sunday, September 10,
2 pm & 3:15 pm.
* Opening reception/tea party, Sunday, September 17, 3 pm.
Entertainments included the inauguration of the Dr. Brutea Service;
WTP awards for the finest tea hats and tea room apparel, and appearances
by AWOL Love Vibe, The Fool's Society and Mr. Peanut.
* An early Autumn tea gathering. This Japanese 'tea ceremony' was
presented by the Urasenke Foundation of Vancouver in the tea house
of the Nitobe Garden at UBC. Three sittings at 1 pm, 2 pm and 3
pm on Saturday, September 23rd. $10 at the door.
* Norman Rich Reading from Musings of an Artist, Saturday, September
23rd, 2 pm.
* First Nations Tea Party hosted by Dolly Watts from Liliget Feast
House and Catering (formerly Just Like Grandma's Bannock Ltd.) featuring
wild herbal teas of the Pacific Northwest. Special tea savories,
Grandma's Wedding Cake, bannock and molasses, fish row, clam fritters
and many local indigenous specialties presented along with story-telling,
tea legends and special guests discussing the traditions of tea
amongst the native peoples of the coast.
Sunday, September 24, 2 pm.
* Tea Chat by artists Daniel Dion and Bryan Mulvihill. Thursday,
September 28, 7:30 pm
Two of the four collaborating artists on World Tea Party talked
about the project's ideas, the artists's process of creative collaboration,
and plans for future World Tea Parties in other parts of the world.
Tea was served.
* A Sufi Tea Circle. Sufi music, poetry and tea. Saturday, September
30, 2 to 5 pm.
An afternoon of Sufi poetry, music, stories and tea in the Middle
Eastern tradition. Sufi is a mystic tradition of Islam that has
given rise to a rich outpouring of poetry, music, art and spiritual
enrichment. The Sufi Tea Circle was organized by Mohammed Ahmed,
and included himself as well as Baba Farid, Gogpoh Seng, David Campbell
and Ali Koushkani.
* FANS Gala Event Tuesday, October 3, 7:30 pm
A special evening of entertainment and awards to launch the Fund
for the Arts on the North Shore. The FANS award in celebration of
significant achievement by a professional North Shore artist was
announced, selected from the three finalists: Robert Clothier, Judith
Marcuse and Robert Studer. (Clouthier won the award). The evening
began in the Theatre at 7:30 pm, and continued with a reception
in the Gallery in the World Tea Party Salon at 9:15 pm. Tickets:
$20; Organized by the North Shore Arts Commission in association
with Presentation House.
* Tea Trade Talk by Gwen Murchie of Murchie's Tea & Coffee Ltd.
Thursday, Oct. 5, 7:30 pm
A thirty-year veteran in the tea industry, Gwen Murchie spoke about
the history of the tea trade and the Murchie family's important
contribution to this history. Anecdotes and Murchie's tea.
* Education Enlightenment Enchantment Tea Symposium Saturday, Oct.
7, 3 pm
A chance to savour the world of herbal, tisane and flavoured Ceylon
tea tasting and chat hosted by T Oasis in nobo (north of Broadway
on Heather Street in Vancouver).
* Visionary Tea Performance by Ray Fuse: Sunday, Oct. 8, 3 pm
Ray Fuse's ritual dance movements are produced while in the Zen
consciousness, reflecting symbolically the Full Moon and the Tea
Ceremony, through movement, brushwork, sound and tea on silk. The
performance was accompanied by a Shakahachi bamboo flute player.
* Indian Tea and Poetry Reading featuring poet Phinder Dulai reading
from Ragas from the Periphery. This event celebrated the recent
publication of Dulai's new volume of poetry. His readings from this
new book was accompanied by other entertainments - musical and otherwise
- presented by community colleagues. Saturday, Oct. 14, 3 pm.
* Traditional Large Japanese Tea Gathering
A short video on the traditions of the Japanese 'tea ceremony' was
screened in a large tea room setting specially created for this
occasion. Tea was formally presented by the Urasenke Foundation
of Vancouver to all guests, followed by discussions on Japanese
tea rituals with Vancouver Urasenke tea instructor
Keith Snyder. Closing presentation was a performance of Japanese
songs by The Sakura Singers. Sunday, October 15, 1 pm.
* Education Enlightenment Enchantment Tea Symposium Saturday, Oct.
21, 3 pm
A chance to savour the world of green and black estate teas, with
tea tasting and chat hosted by T Oasis in Nobo
* Each Thursday afternoon traditional Japanese teas were served
by members of the Urasenke Foundation of Vancouver. Thursdays, 1
to 3 pm.
* Three hands-on workshops by Bryan Mulvihill for highschool students,
re: cultural ritual. |
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