Since 1999, with support of the Palace Museum in Beijing, Macao Museum of Art (MAM) has been co-organising grand thematic annual exhibitions of precious Chinese imperial relics in Macao.
The 15th of these collaborations is ‘Taste and Essence: A Special Exhibition of Chinese and Western Historical Tea Pieces from the Palace Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum’ featuring an array of almost 170 pieces/sets of tea culture relics from the collections of the Palace Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The highly valuable items on exhibit include porcelain and wooden tea sets, as well as tea-themed paintings, showcasing the far-reaching influence of tea culture in both a vivid and visual manner, and from various perspectives.
China is the homeland of tea with an alluring, time-honoured tea culture, where tea-drinking is deeply infused in people’s daily routines. Along with the centuries-old evolution of its tea ceremonies, China has developed a most diverse and aesthetically appealing range of tea wares, all functional works of art.
Each tea preparing method or ceremony reflects the cultural elements of a particular era. The exhibition is organized with this in mind: starting with introducing the tea culture of the Tang and Song dynasties, and then focusing particularly on tea relics and tea culture from the Ming and Qing dynasties covering several periods.
True to its motto of ‘Life.Love.Art’, MAM will host this ‘tea culture’ exhibition, as another of its major endeavours to foster art in life.
In addition to cooperation with the Palace Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum, the exhibition is organized and supported by the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau, the Macao Foundation, the Macau Government Tourist Office, and the Macao Daily News.
Exhibition period
14th December 2013 to 9th March 2014
Exhibition venue
Gallery of Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy, and Gallery of Chinese Ceramics, 4th Floor,
Macao Museum of Art, Av. Xian Xing Hai, Macao
Opening Hours
10:00am – 7:00pm
[no admittance after 6:30pm, closed on Mondays
Admission Fee
MOP5 (Free admission on Sundays and Macao public holidays)
Information:
+853 8791 9814 / www.mam.gov.mo
