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It turns out that there's much more to be read in tea leaves than the possible future. No other beverage has the wide-ranging significance to cultures around the globe that tea has had for about a thousand years.
Whether it's used as the centerpiece of a centuries-old ritual, as a healing concoction or as an accompaniment for tiny sandwiches and pastries, tea has always been much more than a simple infusion of dried leaves and hot water. "The Ceremony of Tea," a new exhibit which opened at the Triton Museum in Santa Clara last week, explores the many aspects of tea, from its role in the history of societies around the world to its place and meaning in modern culture.
In addition to displays of historical items used in the preparation and serving of tea, the exhibit also features contemporary artists' many interpretations of the role of tea in daily life, past and present, from videos and paintings depicting both ceremonial and everyday tea rituals to a wide range of art teapots. Even the properties of tea as an artistic medium are considered, such as in a wall sculpture made of teabags stitched together
The Ceremony of Tea will run through March 6 at the Triton Museum of Art, 1505 Warburton Ave., Santa Clara. Admission is free. For more information, call 408.247.3754 or see www.tritonmuseum.org.
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