hot TEA 熱茶

2016 / 2018

Video Installation / Durational Performance

Tea ceremony is a traditional Chinese ritual that is typically performed both on casual and formal occasions. In Chinese Tea Culture, there is always a sign of respect in the Tea ceremony. This was a new experience for this group of construction workers. And for me, it was my first experiment of bringing the stage to the mundane by juxtaposing these two polar opposites- the elegance of the tea ceremony paired with the setting of the construction site and workers. As a result, in that instant, our roles shifted- In my case from observer / photographer to performer and them from performers to audience members and participants.

The documentation of this performance is paired with the recording of their reactions to seeing the photographs I had taken of them. In it, they critiqued the light, their gestures, and even who took the main spot in the group shots. Meanwhile the image of the conversation between me and the works are visible but not audible. The viewer starts realizing the Acousma.