A taste of last minute (day 226)

Today was the last day of the Ed Pien installation at the Museum of Vancouver.  It was there for three months and even though the museum is barely two blocks away I waited until the last day.  I regret this very much now for two reasons: it was amazing and I would have loved to go again, and I would have loved to convince others to see it.  The mostly blue paper sculpture was intricately painted and cut.  You could walk inside and look through multi-layered and coloured cutouts.  There was a large cylindrical room with a circular video projection up above, with animated ink drawings.  The feeling  of the projection was moon-like.  The paintings on the paper structures where mythical human/animal combinations.  Between two cylindrical structures was a thin hallway that shimmered and waved as you walked through.  It's hard to describe the form but the feeling was of being outside at night with a kind of melding of human and wildlife, very mythical, and reverent.   There was neutral ambient sound.  I took many pictures.

The other half of the exhibition was crafts from Canadians and South Koreans.  That too was amazing but for a different reason.  I was awed by the combined person years of expertise in the room.  The objects were each precious and precisely executed.  I enjoyed seeing all the different materials: glass, metal, wood, thread, felt, clay.  I bought the catalog and even though I'm glad I have some record of the artists in the show, it doesn't come close to the great way the whole was put together.

Later in the afternoon Liz and I went to Chinatown and I was able to pick up some dried flowers for my tea: Chrysanthemum, red rose buds, and Osmanthus.  We ended our excursion at Arts De Chine, a tea shop at the corner of Pender and Columbia.  I wanted to buy more Pu-Erh tea and had a notion that I would buy some as a gift for someone else.   He had many to choose from and explained the different regions, companies and ages.  I settled on one and we sat down for a Gong Fu Cha style tasting.  I mentioned that I was looking to buy some as a gift and after asking a few questions he wondered if the person might not prefer the Iron Buddha oolong tea.  After tasting it, I agreed that this was indeed a delight that they would enjoy.  It was fragrant beyond belief even (especially?) after several steeps.  The fragrance lingered in the most pleasant way.  Of course with the tea I had to get a clay tea pot.  I'll season the pot before giving away.  If you are looking for a great tea shop in Vancouver, this place is definitely a great experience.  High quality teas, friendly instruction, and no pressure sales.

A song for this post.