Journey into the East will consider Britain's colonial past in India, Africa and China. Along with other assets produced and exported from these countries, tea was a major economic commodity. While the impact of colonialism can still be felt in India and some African countries, the origins of tea have become largely forgotten in British culture with drinkers of the beverage rarely considering its cross cultural heritage.
Journey into the East
Barby Asante is a London-based artist whose work offers its audience
interactive experiences. Her recent projects include I Accept Your Image. I
am You, at 198 Gallery, Brixton. This exhibition challenged media images of
beauty by drawing out the performative instincts of the project's
participants.
Journey into the East will consider Britain's colonial past in India, Africa
and China. Along with other assets produced and exported from these
countries, tea was a major economic commodity. While the impact of
colonialism can still be felt in India and some African countries, the
origins of tea have become largely forgotten in British culture with
drinkers of the beverage rarely considering its cross cultural heritage.
Asante will explore the broader cultural significance of tea by referencing
methods of display and taxonomy applied to museum collections, as well as
teashops. Asante will also offer a personal critique that will include
journals of journeys she made, acting as an amateur Ethnographer, through
the East End of London and video portraits of the artist's friends, family
and colleagues, showing their own idiosyncratic tea rituals.
As part of Journey into the East, Asante will create the essence of a
teashop within The Showroom where people can come to gather their thoughts,
or meet others over a cup of tea.
During the project the "teashop" will
evolve into a "salon" on Saturday afternoons, hosting a series of talks that
will look at colonialism, ethnographic practice and British identity.
The
speakers will include Barby Asante, Jean-Paul Martinon independent curator
and lecturer at Goldsmiths College and Shaheen Merali artist and lecturer at
Central St. Martins.
Through these discussions the wider cultural
ramifications of this seemingly straight-forward drink will be revealed.
For
further information please contact Kirsty Ogg or Andy Marsh on 020 8983
4115.
Journey into the East will be Barby Asante's first major solo show.
Image: Barby Asante, Wig Therapy
Opening 25 June 19.00 Â 21.00hrs
Wednesday - Sunday 13.00 Â 18.00hrs
The Showroom is financially supported by London Arts. Project supported by
R. Twining and Company Ltd.
Mary-Jane Aladren, Alice Angus, Claire Barclay, Iwona Blazwick, Louisa Buck,
Paul Collett, Peter Cross, Zeyad Dajani, Laura Emsley, ezppl, Nick Ferguson,
Rose Finn-Kelcey, FlatPack001, Frieze, David Gilmour, Margot Heller, Claire
Hooper, Matthew Hunt, Sue Jones, Jane Lee, Paul Nicholson, Campbell & Mairi
Ogg, Julia Peyton-Jones, Alison Raftery, Simon Starling, Jane Stringfellow,
Clare Thornton, David Thorp, Three Day Weekend, Transmission Gallery,
Catherine Ugwu, Grant Watson and Gilda Williams are all actively supporting
the work of the gallery by joining The Showroom's Friends Scheme.
Lothar Götz's project Forever Young, will be opening at the Chisenhale on
the same evening 18.30 to 20.30 hrs.
The Showroom
44 Bonner Road London E2 9JS.
T. 020 8983 4115
F. 020 8983 4115.
Nearest tube Bethnal Green on the Central Line. Buses 26, 48, 55, 106, 253.
Overground to Cambridge Heath.