The Mad Tea Party at WMODA

In the 19th century, the Jabberwock monster inspired Doulton’s Mark V. Marshall and Victorian tile artist, William de Morgan, was enthralled by the Dodo. Lewis Carroll reputedly introduced the extinct flightless bird into his story as a caricature of himself. The Ardmore Ceramic Art studio in South Africa made a Dodo teapot which would enhance any Mad Hatter’s tea party.

It Is always 6 o’clock in Wonderland at the Hatter’s endless tea party with the March Hare who is equally mad. Novel and ingenious teapots are a feature of the Art of Tea exhibition and some of the craziest designs have been loaned to the Mad Tea Party exhibit by Dr. Unjeria Jackson, author of Teapots by Design. There are also tiny teapots, less than an inch tall, created by master potter Alex Meiklejohn and a miniature tea party presented by dollhouse designer Judith Rudin.

Alice experiences extreme size distortions in Wonderland caused by a Drink Me potion and an Eat Me cake She also nibbles on a magic mushroom which makes her the right size to enter the magic garden where she meets the Queen of Hearts from a pack of playing cards. This formidable monarch orders executions at the slightest offense, shrieking “Off with their heads”. The playing card motifs inspired designs by the Moorcroft Pottery as well as the British porcelain artist David Burnham Smith. The Royal Doulton group portrayed many Wonderland characters in their popular collections of figures and character jugs.

About The Museum
The Wiener Museum of Decorative Arts was founded in Dania Beach, Florida in 2014 by Arthur Wiener and family. The museum celebrates the fired arts of ceramics and glass and visitors can see beautiful pottery and porcelain art from the 18th century to the present day. The Wiener museum introduces the work of British pottery pioneers, such as Josiah Wedgwood and Sir Henry Doulton, as well as European designers from Art Nouveau and Art Deco eras.

The glass galleries at the Wiener Museum showcase the art of French designer Renée Lalique and Venetian maestros from Murano, as well as local glass artists working in South Florida. The highlight of the Hot Glass gallery is a spectacular collection of Chihuly. Contemporary ceramic art from the Ardmore studio in South Africa is one of the favorite exhibits at the Wiener museum, which hosts a varied program of exhibitions and cultural events.

WMODA is located inside the Wiener Museum of Decorative Arts on the second floor 5 minutes south of Fort Lauderdale – Hollywood International Airport, the hours are Tuesday - Saturday 10:00am - 4:00pm.

WMODA - Wiener Museum of Decorative Arts
481 South Federal Highway
Dania Beach, FL 33004
www.wmoda.com