Crying Over Spilt Tea is inspired by two English language idioms: “spill the tea” is a viral phrase born from Black drag culture that conveys the subversive sharing of sensitive or secret information or “T” for truths, while “don’t cry over spilt milk” signifies the futility of being upset over something that has already happened and cannot be undone.

This exhibition features Permanent Collection artworks to focus on the “tea” and “T”—the stories, untold truths, and hidden narratives—while asking us to ruminate on what has taken place, what has been spilt.

Through the artwork of Dana Claxton, Natalka Husar, Annie Pootoogook, Joi T. Arcand, Shōji Hamada, and Tim Whiten, Crying Over Spilt Tea will reveal how tea and “T” are intimate and familiar, universal and specific. They are mundane—an everyday occurrence, yet their history, personal significance, and cultural embeddedness are critical.

— from the Winnipeg Art Gallery’s website