Thanks to everyone who came to the opening reception of RITUAL at the Manhattan Beach Art Center (MBAC)! It was great to connect with a new community, and we really appreciate our LA friends who came out to support us. Although we've been part of gallery events before, this one was particularly special.

A few months ago, the MBAC's curator, Randy, visited Zakka Bakka (ZB) on a typical Sunday when we had our tea stand set up. Our dad only has a vague memory of serving him, but that brief encounter kickstarted this project.

Fast forward a few weeks, and Randy reached out with a proposition: TEA TEA TEA and Zakka Bakka would design a space for the MBAC's upcoming exhibition. We were thrilled, and immediately got to work as if we were going to be in the Guggenheim. Randy had a clear vision for the show, and our setup fit naturally within it. Yosei, Michael, and Shoshi at ZB have been longtime friends and early supporters of TTT. Despite their extensive experience in this area, they allowed us to take the lead, for which we are incredibly grateful.

Together with ZB and Randy, we collaborated on an installation for the MBAC's education space. Even the simplest tasks felt like a big step forward for us. We were given creative control over the didactic panels, the paint color of the room, and how the space would come together. For us, having grown up geeking out over museums, the chance to shape these small details of an exhibition was a mini dream come true.

The panels were written and designed so that visitors could get a sense of the room even on days when our tea stand isn't present. For the paint color, we went with a muted brown, akin to a tsuchikabe (earthen wall) found in traditional Japanese architecture. Legendary tea master Sen no Rikyū's tea rooms were dimly lit, built from natural materials, and dissolved the line between inside and out. For the objects in the room, we turned it over to Zakka Bakka's artist community. They brought ceramics of varied sizes and aesthetics, and created several paintings in the proportions of a kakejiku (hanging scroll) to frame the space of the tea ceremony. We wanted an environment that felt inviting to anyone walking in, but considered enough that a tea master from Japan would feel right at home.

It is at this intersection that we see TTT existing: respecting tradition while keeping things approachable for everyone. When we started TTT, creating spaces like this and engaging with the public in this way, was a part of what we had envisioned. Not just a tea importer, but a conduit for people to see beyond the tea into the rich and beautiful world of Japanese tea ceremony. We hope to bring you more events like this.

And lastly, a huge thank you to Randy for trusting us with this opportunity, and to our friend Christian for the amazing photos! If you missed the opening, we'll be back three more times over the course of the exhibition: May 2nd (this Saturday!), June 13th, and June 27th. Come check it out! 

With love, 
Mikuto and Kio 

Photo: Christian Kim