The idea of [Tea Time] had a very genuine beginning – while enjoying a cup of tea on a sunny autumn afternoon. Very soon this idea grew to a string of images, focused on aesthetical look, preserving the original meaning of tea.
Actually, the project happened to give its name to itself.
The idea is based on the fact that Marion Kapferer used to wear a pocket watch with her that is basically always set on five p.m. The reason for that is quite logical: It is always Tea Time then. So you can drink tea, whenever you like to, whenever you consider it right. It is kind of similar to some behaviour of Lewis Carroll's Mad Hatter, just not quite that mad.

A pocket watch is known for having a big number of complex, sophisticated mechanisms conjunct in a very small room. Assumed that they all work right, it really seems to be a wonder that they all act and function together, without actually being coordinated by somebody or something. That's where we set our interrogation: Is there probably more behind it? It is even rather likely that in such a complex apparatus as a watch, somebody is working and pulling the strings: The Watchmaker.

For the part of tea we chose the tradition of enjoying the English Tea Time at 5 p.m. As it always has been more than just drinking some tea, it was necessary to find and keep that certain atmosphere of stillness and tranquility that is associated with English Tea. In order to do so, we adjusted the concept and subordinated the highest of symbolical instances - the time - to the tea to show the metaphorical ascendency of tea over the time. Therefore, time stands still during the Tea Time.

[Tea Time] Iva Mueller I Marion Kapferer© 2007I2008