Tea bags are simple pouches that shelter fragments of aromatic leaves. When submerged, their bodies swell and release stored life—a treasure of tannins infuse the water with pastel hues, permeating the air with sobering scents. Tea warms the soul and can be a source of comfort and reflection.

Abandoned on nearby napkins, tea bags continue to exude life after they are disposed of. Their moist bodies leave a medley of patterns and a rainbow of colors onto the absorbent paper, usually overlooked and unappreciated.

This collection was born soon after an impassioned affair suddenly ended. To pay homage to the gifts of this lover and all who infuse their partners with new life, I pointed my lens at the humble tea bag. The tea bag is a worthy metaphor for the self: the outer shell for the body; the herbs for the soul; and the string for the fibers that tie us to one another.

I began by collecting an assortment of rectangular, square, and round tea bags in a variety of flavors, then photographed them (with black and white film) singly and in pairs. The resulting work fit into two categories: the first spoke to the life cycle of relationships, the other, a subset, representing blossoms.

For the 'relationship' set, I molded tea bags into figures to emulate the dance of courtship and union, conveying joy, heartbreak, torment, ecstasy, pregnancy, birth, and the family unit. I like to believe that the love we yearn for ultimately arrives, and ended this series with a triumphant pair of tea bags—tied to one another—each proud, strong and independent.

By careful examination of the digitally added colors, the reader can map the interplay of one soul upon another. The series celebrates the music of a lover’s body and illustrates the complex emotional give and take inherent in most relationships.

For the 'blossoms' set, I shaped tea bags into botanical specimens. These are the last five photographs in the essay.

I invite you to journey with these tea bags, delight in their whimsical transformations, and allow them to inspire your vivid imagination.

Abraham Menashe
New York City, 2004