Trading Station: How hot drinks shape our lives

Manchester Art Gallery, 14th December 2019 - 31stth December 2021

Included in this exhibition is a commissioned piece I made in response to ‘The Mary Greg Collection’ at Manchester Art Gallery. I selected a series of Elizabethan roundels to research as a starting point for the commissioned work. Used at the end of banquets the roundels (elaborately decorated wooden plates) held sweetmeats and other sugary delicacies!

‘Exploring the changing social use of tea, coffee and hot chocolate.’

‘Hot drinks, once expensive luxuries for the few, have enriched our lives, promoted the exchange of ideas and influenced the design of our homes. The Cost of Caffeine traces the history of how these drinks arrived in the UK, revealing their global histories, connections to slavery and colonisation, and contemporary ethical issues. Spanning four centuries and ranging from silver, porcelain, glass, fashion, lighting, prints and painting, this showcase of exquisite and utilitarian objects asks probing questions and uncovers hidden histories.’

Feast, Teatime, Chinese tea bowls, Image Credit Michael Pollard, Manchester Art Gallery