"Benesse Art Site Naoshima - Archive series" takes a look back through the records of Benesse Art Site Naoshima, the art project founded in the 1980s. In this 3rd installment, we will be introducing Drink a Cup of Tea (1987 / 1994) by Kazuo Katase.

Drink a Cup of Tea was unveiled to the public during 1994's "Open Air '94 'Out of Bounds' - Contemporary Art in the Seascape". The piece draws inspiration from "Eat this, and drink a cup of tea", the words of Zen monk Sengai Gibon, and it can be seen as serving a similar function to a koan within Zen, easing onlookers into engaging with art. The work was the first that those arriving on the island from the pier below Benesse House (presently not in use) encountered, and also served to encourage these new visitors to enjoy a cup of tea.

The installation site is not only notable as a location providing a 180 degree view of the sprawling ocean and a vantage point above the pier. It was also chosen by Mr. Katase with consideration as to how it would relate to the surrounding buildings, with care being taken to ensure that the work's foundations formed a diagonal line that ran parallel to the pier, and that the extension line from one of the base's sides matched with that of a building designed by Tadao Ando.

The work was produced with a strong awareness of the connection between "nature", "architecture", and "art", three words that continue to be integral to the work of Benesse Art Site Naoshima. And during its exhibition, it was decided that the work would remain even after the exhibition period was over. With the pier rarely seeing use today, it is no longer the first piece that most visitors encounter upon their arrival on the island. Yet for more than twenty-five years, the work has continued to welcome visitors, encouraging them to enjoy a cup of tea.

Drink a Cup of Tea is also introduced in the April 2019 issue of Benesse Art Site Naoshima Public Relations Magazine(page 16-18). Please be sure to check it out.