Time for tea and all that goes with it

Though the idea behind Teatopia may seem quaint and eccentric, the exhibition, which is designed to expose the rich and often dark history behind England's biggest addiction, is anything but.

"As a principle, in the craft and design gallery we try to do exhibitions for a general audience," says curator Rowena Hamilton.

"We often go for thematic exhibitions which allows us to bring in a lot of different materials, not only from our own collections but also work from contemporary artists, designers and crafts people too. Tea is a theme we have been thinking about for a long time, not just because we love it, but because it's a really important aspect not just of British culture but global culture."

The British reliance on tea and the belief a good cup of the stuff can solve any problem is often seen as one of the nation's peculiar eccentricities. Much less cosy, is its shared history with opium trading.

As tea consumption grew, Britain's exports could not keep up with the demand for tea imports. The Chinese were more interested in silver than in cotton, Britain's main export and reserves of the precious metal were low.

Not wanting to give up their supplies of tea, the British began growing opium in colonial India. The narcotic was traded for silver, which was then used to buy tea.

The history of tea, both good and bad, is related in the gallery's eclectic collection of artwork. From local designer Geo Law's textiles to Hitomi Hosono's installation of a fantasy tea party, the pieces prove much more lies beneath the surface of the simple cup of tea than hot water and a splash of milk.

Each work of art represents a point in the history of tea and the exhibition is arranged around the process of making a cuppa.

"There are so many fascinating stories," says Rowena. "Like the Scottish gentleman who learnt Mandarin and moved to the mountains of south-west China to live alongside a tea-master who taught him the trade of growing tea."

One of the highlights of the exhibition is the work by Austin Houldsworth. The young designer's project, Surviving with Englishness, includes a sodium acetate kettle which, if we were to suffer a nuclear attack, would still allow for one final cup of tea to be made.

The exhibition also showcases an array of works from historic ceramics from Yorkshire potteries to Chinese porcelain tea-ware which highlights the foreign influence on tea and art.

"The exhibition is made up of a lot of different artists and designers trying to put their fingers on what it is that makes Britain so obsessed with tea," says Hamilton.

"Whether it's a pot of Earl Grey or a steaming mug of builder's brew, the ubiquitous cup of tea has found an enduring place at the heart of British society."

The exhibition ends with a short film made by Lipton tea on the fairtrade issues surrounding the growing and export of tea.

"Regardless of the underlying dark history behind a drink we take for granted, it isn't all bad," says Hamilton: "Tea does have all sorts of health benefits and positive aspects too.

"I am fond of tea, the more I have learnt, the more fond of it I have become. Tea is a fascinating drink that merits an exhibition."

Teatopia, Sheffield Millennium Galleries, to October 24.