More than a beverage, tea in Nepal is a greeting, an expression of care, a brew that binds society. Not offering someone tea can be taken as a sign of indifference. Even hours of a day are counted in the number of cups of tea, mostly with milk and sugar.
The exhibition ‘Art | Tea | Nature’ by Gopal Kalapremi Shrestha at Siddhartha Art Gallery offers a artistic immersion into Nepal’s चिया culture.
There is a breeze of serenity at the entrance to the exhibition which is meticulously curated by Hong Mei Liao, co-founder, tea specialist and the creator of Suiro Teas. The gallery itself is stripped to reveal a carefully curated boutique with walls lined by tall wooden shelves. In the middle is a large table with two benches on either side.
The real centre of the exhibition is a collection of ceramics that lines the teashop. Visitors are transported away from the busy streets of Kathmandu into a garden with bonsai in each corner. Come, take a seat, relax and have a cup of tea.
Kalapremi Shrestha created the 251 pieces in collaboration with Suiro Teas. The unique sculptures reflect a long-standing tradition of ceramics in the region, and are categorised into four groups: Carbon, Melting, Concord and Feminine series, each distinguishable by its texture and story.
The Carbon series stands out with the black surface of the bowls and the pots. Shrestha was inspired by the Northern Black Polish Ware (NBPW) — one of the oldest forms of pottery in Nepal from the Vedic period.
The dark, almost metallic sheen comes entirely from the firing technique and is not an added glaze. The labourious process which includes intense smoothening of the surface gives the bowls an otherworldly look, inviting the viewers to travel back in time — even to the life of the Buddha who Shrestha says most likely also held one of the NBPW bowls while meditating.
The nearby Melting series has tea-ware that resemble glaciers and the northern lights, with surfaces that are caught in a continuous running-down. Made with the Melting Glaze technique that requires about 8 layers of glazing, the flowing effects produced by the many layers jostle with one another as they flow down like lava. The effect gives the cups a brilliant glassy look, at once delicate and sharp.
The Feminine Series is perhaps the most spiritual among the pieces, with its roots in the phases of the moon, particularly the New Moon which signifies a cosmic occasion for change and rebirth. Inspired by divine femininity, Shrestha turns clay into bold, interpretive shapes that represent the unbound strength and contrarian nature of womanhood — fluid, subtle, reflective.
The Concord Series, meanwhile, leads us to the rocks and minerals found in nature, to which clay itself is closely related. Concord — literally ‘hearts together’ from Latin concors — is best found in the sweeping harmony between beauty and force in these ceramicware.
One is reminded of the mountains, large masses of rocks, and their vast lifespans. Almost petrified, the viewer stands before these works, compelled to confront the insignificance of the human ego and thoughtless drive for destruction in the grand scheme of nature.
Art | Tea | Nature is a transposition of that concordia to a larger scale, and a grand invitation to look at tea and drinking tea as part of a larger cultural expression to connect with ourselves, our minds and our hearts.
In ancient China, ceramics and the tea culture evolved in harmony, and even today tea drinking is accompanied by aesthetically dazzling chawan, as much meaningful totems as they are practical pieces of pottery.
There has not been such a steady correlation in Nepal, but Shrestha and Suiro Teas want to change that. Shrisha Pradhananga, co-founder of Suiro says that despite the Nepali passion for tea, corresponding tea wares have not been made in Nepal.
The pieces at the exhibit are fully functional and on sale. Visitors find a successful meld of tradition and contemporary, among the colours and the clouds, with focus on place and history.
After all, art is not just an idea but a process through which people can sip and drink from the vast beauty of life.
Ask any Nepali and they will echo Uncle Iroh from Avatar: The Last Airbender: “Sick of tea! That’s like being sick of breathing.” The exhibition attests to that.
Art | Tea | Nature Exhibition
By Gopal Kalapremi Shrestha
Siddhartha Art Gallery
Baber Mahal Revisited
Till 10 July 2022
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