In an unexpected fusion of contemporary art and modern tea culture, China’s trendsetting beverage brand HEYTEA is about to transform Shanghai’s North Bund into a polka-dotted wonderland. The brand has partnered with legendary Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama to create what might be the most Instagram-worthy tea experience of 2024.
Picture this: A massive 10-meter-tall pumpkin sculpture, covered in Kusama’s signature polka dots, looming over Shanghai’s skyline while thousands of young urbanites snap selfies with specially designed bubble tea cups that mirror the artist’s iconic style. It’s exactly the kind of cultural mash-up that defines today’s Asia.
“This isn’t just about selling tea anymore,” says cultural analyst Zhang Wei, who wasn’t involved in the project. “It’s about creating moments that resonate with a generation that sees no boundaries between art, consumption, and social media.”
The collaboration centers on HEYTEA’s BOBO series – think perfectly spherical tapioca pearls floating in artisanal tea drinks – and Kusama’s lifelong obsession with dots. While it might seem like an unlikely pairing, there’s a fascinating symmetry between Kusama’s dots, which she uses to represent infinity and interconnectedness, and HEYTEA’s bubbles, which have become a symbol of joy and comfort in Asian youth culture.
Starting November 12, visitors to Shanghai’s North Bund can experience “Life of the Pumpkin Recites,” Kusama’s largest pumpkin sculpture to date. The installation, fresh from its debut in Paris, arrives at a moment when Asian brands are increasingly asserting themselves on the global cultural stage.
But the real magic happens in HEYTEA’s stores, where seven new beverages will feature packaging that transforms Kusama’s artistic vision into something you can actually sip. The lineup includes crowd favorites like Supreme Brown Sugar Bobo Milk and Mango Grapefruit Boom, each served in limited-edition cups that are likely to become collectors’ items.
For HEYTEA, which started in 2012 as a small shop in Guangdong and now boasts over 4,300 stores worldwide, this collaboration represents more than just a marketing coup. It’s a bold statement about the evolution of Chinese consumer culture. The brand that invented cheese-topped tea (yes, you read that right) is now positioning itself as a cultural tastemaker, bridging the gap between street culture and high art.
“We’re witnessing a fascinating moment where bubble tea – once considered just a casual drink – is being elevated to an art form,” notes beverage industry expert Lisa Chen. “This collaboration challenges our assumptions about what constitutes contemporary art and where we can find it.”
The limited-edition merchandise accompanying the collaboration – from artfully designed paper bags to exclusive keychains – is expected to generate the kind of queues usually reserved for Supreme drops or iPhone launches. But beyond the hype, this partnership raises interesting questions about how traditional culture evolves in the digital age.
As Shanghai prepares for what promises to be one of its most talked-about cultural events of 2024, one thing is clear: the lines between art, commerce, and culture continue to blur, one polka-dotted bubble tea at a time. Whether you’re an art enthusiast, a tea connoisseur, or simply someone who appreciates the unexpected, this collaboration offers something uniquely contemporary – a chance to literally drink in the art of one of the world’s most celebrated creators.
“Through joint initiatives including offline art exhibitions, product packaging, and art peripheral design, HEYTEA has established a bridge for the public to engage with contemporary art using new-style tea as a medium,” explains a HEYTEA spokesperson. It’s a bridge that spans not just artistic disciplines but generations and cultures.
The timing couldn’t be better. As global audiences increasingly look to Asia for cultural innovation, this partnership showcases how traditional elements can be reimagined for modern sensibilities. HEYTEA’s journey from a small alley in Jiangmen to collaborating with an artist of Kusama’s stature mirrors China’s own evolution in the global cultural landscape.
For those planning to visit, the exhibition runs from November 12-17, 2024, at Shanghai’s North Bund. But even if you can’t make it to Shanghai, you can still participate in what HEYTEA calls “Adding a Touch of BOBO to the World” through their limited-edition products available at stores worldwide.
As Kusama herself expressed, “I hope that through the China Project presented together with HEYTEA, the audience can feel that the power of art can cross cultural barriers and convey hope and love.” In a world that often feels divided, perhaps there’s something profound about bringing people together through the simple pleasures of polka dots and bubble tea.
After all, in both Kusama’s dots and HEYTEA’s bubbles, we find a shared message about interconnectedness – one that’s now being served with a side of artistic revolution, one cup at a time.
