Rostfrei Publishing

Opium Clippers

Today, with the exception of Cuttyhunk Island and Penikese Island, all of the Elizabeth Islands are privately owned by the Forbes family. ‘Descendants of the original deer still live in the woods and sheep are raised both for wool and meat. The island is occupied, not only in summer but in all seasons, by many of John M. Forbes’s 359 living descendants and their friends, who sail, swim, fish, and ride there, caring deeply for their beautiful, unspoiled heritage left to them by a wise, generous, and far-sighted grandfather.’
Opium Clippers

It is an artistic research transformed into visual essay by Neja Tomšič which has been an integral part of her performative tea rituals narrating horizontal story interweaving images and texts, the story that directs the reader through economic, political and media symbols of tea and opium trade in 19th and 20th century.
Opium Clippers

Lloyd’s Building, Former East India House Site - London, England, UK. The site of East India House was the corner of Leadenhall Street and Lime Street. It was the East India Company’s headquarters for over two hundred years, from 1648 to 1861. Classically columned, it was adorned with sculptures of Britannia on a lion, Europa on a horse and Asia on a camel.
Opium Clippers

The Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank was founded in 1865, in Hong Kong, with the aim of financing the needs of international trade between China, India and Britain, especially the opium trade. It was established by Thomas Sutherland, who was previously also the president of the Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock, the Hong Kong dockyard from which 70% of the cargo shipped contained opium.
Opium Clippers

“The firing of the Noonday Gun is a tradition held up by Jardines since the 1860s.” (Noonday Gun, Hong Kong, China / by edwin.11)
Opium Clippers

A book about a suppressed episode in world history: the tea and opium trade, from the colonial era to the present.
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ROSTFREIPUBLISHING

Rostfrei Publishing started as an idea of creating a platform for bringing to light visual content we find inspiring, critical and inventive.
That is what we did for many years with a trans-Balkan street magazine called Kontejner
and now we feel that it is time to take it to another level.
More >>>

January 2019

Artist book by Neja Tomšič on Vimeo

The artist book Opium Clippers is based on the series of homonymous tea ceremonies in which artist Neja Tomšič tells (true) stories about forgotten episodes in world history to a chosen audience while making and drinking tea. …

Watch here >
November 2018
Award

The book ‘Opium Clippers’ received an award Best Designed Book 2018, in a section “book as an object”at Slovenian Book Fair at Cankarjev Dom, Ljubljana, in a section “book as an object”. Artist NeJa Tomsic, designer NeJa Tomsic & Boštjan Pavletič
Big thanks also to all involved with the preparation and execution of ‘Opium Clippers‘: Jaka Babnik, Ana Čavić, Miha Colner, Tevž Logar, Tomaž Šantl and Galerija Fotografija.
November 2018

The book is ready!
Neja Tomšič: Opium Clippers
Book launch will take place on 13 November at 8pm at Galerija Fotografija, Ljubljana.
Come and see!
November 2018

Opium Clippers by Neja Tomšič

Published: 11/2018
Extent: 40 spreads
Dimensions: 200 × 270 mm
Box dimensions: 245 × 310 x 35 mm
Edition: 200

Available
November 2018

Opium Clippers by Neja Tomšič

Economic, political and media symbols of tea and opium trade in 19th and 20th century. An artistic research transformed into visual essay by Neja Tomšič which has been an integral part of her performative tea rituals.

Coming soon in our store.