Taste fine tea 2019

Editor: So this watercolor piece, "Taste fine tea," made in 2019 by Dayou Lu and here on display at the Shanghai Museum, is really catching my eye. I’m intrigued by the tension between the loose brushstrokes and the somewhat geometric shapes. What strikes you most about it? Curator: It is interesting how the artist deploys what appears to be traditional watercolour techniques for representational purposes. Notice how the artist seems preoccupied with the tea kettle as the only solid figure: what are your thoughts on its cultural significance in comparison to that of a painter's brush? Editor: I hadn't considered them comparatively like that. Both have been culturally impactful across diverse timelines and geographies... Is there anything that you believe the artist is trying to convey by bringing them both into the fold of this composition? Curator: Think about what the tools used in art-making mean materially, how that teapot in particular exists in contrast to, say, more industrial forms of manufacturing in China. Isn’t this artistic focus on tea, on manual techniques and handiwork, itself a political choice? How can one produce in the margins of larger, global modes of production? Editor: I see what you mean. Highlighting traditional methods in a contemporary setting... I’m now understanding that its technique embodies a sort of cultural commentary. The intersection of the imagery and process now gives it much more depth for me. Thanks for pointing that out! Curator: Indeed, considering materiality opens up avenues to understanding the painting's engagement with culture and production more widely.