Artists
delve into cafe delicacies
By Jack Schneider
On-line Forty-Niner
An
eclectic array of pots, pans and cups from
all around the world and different periods
of time fill the room as one strolls across
the new exhibit at the Long Beach Art Museum.
The museum is presenting a collection titled
“Coffee, Tea, or Chocolate?,” which celebrates
350 years of the world’s most popular beverages.
More than 70 teapots, trays, cups and kettles
are displayed in The Victor Gail and Thomas
H. Oxford Gallery.
The exhibit mostly focuses on different
items from different countries in the 1900s
used in serving coffee, tea and chocolate.
The artwork included in the exhibit is done
by Hester Bateman, Clarice Cliff, Karen
Koblitz and Beatrice Wood.
More than just showcasing various vessels
used for holding the popular beverages,
this exhibit also focuses on different countries.
The artifacts tell a lot about the culture’s
customs and art, as well as the influences
that the popular beverages had on the design
of the vessel.
On display are worldly designs of richly
crafted porcelain and ceramic vessels that
could be seen at a party or ritual in one’s
culture.
Each time period and culture shows how each
vessel was created. For instance,
there is a teapot from England from the1760s,
designed with an ancient sculpturing giving
the piece a contemporary look to it.
Some of the most interesting displays of
artifacts include an ivory colored French
chocolate pot, and an entire mirror-like
silver tea and coffee service from the late
1800s from London.
A part of the exhibit focuses on the diverse
vessels used for tea from the Eastern World.
Many tea kettles are decorated with fine
glosses and delicate color shown from China,
Korea and Japan.
The design of tea pots and dishes from the
Eastern World has influenced the works of
some vessels seen from western countries
such as England and France. One is an 1880s
porcelain teapot from England painted similarly
to an Asian vessel.
The most modern artifacts, including tea
kettles and coasters from the Ranch Tea
Service are sharply crafted in a metallic
form with cubical designs.
All artifacts seen in the exhibit are featured
in their original form.
The items featured in this exhibit are to
inspire an upcoming event next year entitled
“The Artful Teapot.”
The Long Beach Art Museum will be running
the “Coffee, Tea, or Chocoalte?” exhibit
between now until next year. Tickets are
$4 for students. For more information regarding
the exhibit, call (562) 439-2119.
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