Work In Progress

SPILL THE TEA — Art Ritual 

Tea ceremony + wearable art activation @ Novo Collective's "Work In Progress"

Interactive Art Festival. The Blanc. June 18-21, 2026. New York.

Concept Overview

Spill the Tea is a performative art ritual exploring Truth — personal, collective, and the question of:
What Do We Share As Truth?

What Truth Do We Want To Imprint?

The phrase “spill the tea” originates from “spill the T,” with T meaning Truth—once tied to gossip and revealing information. In this project, we return to its deeper essence, inviting participants to explore the awareness of the imprint our words leave on others, the authenticity and the mindful expression. 

Guests gather in circle, drink tea, reflect, and intentionally spill tea onto fabric (both already handcrafted garments and textiles to be incorporated into attire later), creating natural dye patterns for one-of-a-kind wearable art pieces. This project is Work In Progress.

Tea becomes pigment.
Truth becomes pattern.
Each imprint becomes a record of intention.

The dyed fabrics are transformed into unisex ceremonial gowns — living archives of self-exploration.

This ritual asks:

  • What happens when the truth you spill leaves the mark?
  • What mark ARE you choosing to leave?
  • How do your truths imprint others and the world?

The Ritual

Participants sit in circle. They are invited to speak a truth—big or small, personal or playful.
Then, with presence and awareness, they spill tea onto the fabric.

Each spill becomes:

  • a visual echo of the words spoken
  • a mindful mark of choice
  • a symbol of the weight of our truths
  • a reminder that expression has consequences — energetic, emotional, karmic.

The fabric absorbs everything: the warmth, the color, the moment, the truth. This project is Work In Progress.

The Art

During Ceremony we create unique patterns directly on the wearable art pieces (robes and shawls) handcrafted from natural handwoven and hand-stitched cotton. Some of the textiles are transformed into one-of-a-kind attire after the ceremony. 


Each piece carries:

  • the story of its ceremony
  • the truths shared
  • the energy of the circle
  • the imprint of community expression

These pieces become walking artifacts, wearable records of collective honesty.

 

Five tea-dyed wearable art pieces are available for purchase. The are being tea-dyed during the Art Festival providing a true Work In Progress experience. 

 

ART PIECES FOR PURCHASE:

1. "Happiness Is Our True Nature"

One of the kind wearable art piece handcrafted from handwoven 100% cotton with a hand-stitched embroidery accent on the back. Tea-dyed in herbal blend. The Truth shared: "Happiness is our true nature".

Available for purchase: $888

2. "What Your Wear Becomes Your Practice". 

One of the kind wearable art piece handcrafted from handwoven 100% cotton with a hand-stitched embroidery accent on the back. The yellow hue comes from the original cotton threads dyed before tea dye was added. Tea-dyed in herbal blend and White and Shoe Puh Er. 

The Truth shared: "What you wear - becomes your practice".

Available for purchase: $888

3. "Staying as Awareness"

One of the kind wearable art piece handcrafted from handwoven 100% cotton with a hand-stitched embroidery accent on the back. The dark brown hue comes from the original cotton threads dyed before tea dye was added. Tea-dyed in red tea hong cha from Yunan Province, China. The Truth shared: "Staying as awareness is the way".

Available for purchase: $888

4. "Nothing Spilled Is Ever Lost."

One of the kind wearable art piece handcrafted from handwoven 100% cotton with a hand-stitched embroidery accent upfront. The beige hues come from the original cotton threads dyed before tea dye was added. Tea-dyed in red tea hong cha from Yunan Province, China. The Truth shared: "Nothing spilled is ever lost".

Available for purchase: $888

5. "Speaking With The Kindness Of The Heart"

One of the kind wearable art piece handcrafted from handwoven 100% cotton with a hand-stitched embroidery accent upfront. The beige hues come from the original cotton threads dyed before tea dye was added. Tea-dyed in red tea hong cha from Yunan Province, China. The Truth shared: "Speaking With The Kindness Of The Heart".

Available for purchase: $888