Ho Tam, Gourd-shaped vase with poppies and two men smoking in bed ... (2025)

Ho Tam  
Gourd-shaped vase with poppies and two men smoking in bed (FC-020) 
2025  
inkjet on glossy photo paper  
edition of 5  
22 x 17 inches
unframed
 
 
Based on the shape of a calabash gourd, this type of bottle first appears in Chinese ceramics in the 14th century. Thought to hold the liquor of immortality, and carried by Taoist immortals, such gourds and the bottles in their shape are often associated with mystical rituals relating to spiritual worships.
 
Papaver somniferum, the Opium poppy, is the species of plant from which opium and poppy seeds are derived. 
 
The importation of opium to the Chinese was used the British to reduce their trade deficits in the 18th Century. Because of its strong mass appeal and addictive nature, opium was an effective solution. An instant consumer market for the drug was secured by the addiction of thousands of Chinese, and the deficit was reversed. Recognizing the growing number of addicts, the Qing Emperor prohibited the sale of opium. This led to two Opium Wars and the signing of treaties, forcing China to open its ports for foreign trade and the eventual cession of Hong Kong.
 
The image of two men smoking in bed was a common sight in the opium dens as well as private homes, where guests were often served with opium, like tea or wine.