Events and Parties
How to Party Like an Art Collector
We've picked the best artist-designed spirits to set your New Years bash apart.
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Your art fix doesn’t need to stop just because galleries have closed for winter break. On the contrary, art and holiday festivities go hand in hand, with high-profile artists tapped regularly by companies to put a fresh spin on their bottles. Whether you are into bubbly, vodka, or a good old glass of wine, artnet News’s has picked out the best art and booze collaborations, so you can toast the new year in style. Cheers!
Absolut Vodka and Andy Warhol
Last October, Absolut Vodka launched a limited edition Andy Warhol bottle, recreating and commemorating one the Pop art legend designed back in 1986 for the Absolut Warhol campaign. The collaboration launched the brand’s Absolut Art Collection and commemorates its ongoing support of contemporary art (see “Absolut Vodka Launches Andy Warhol Bottle“). From 1986 to 2004, Absolut commissioned around 850 artworks (some of which were subsequently used in print ads) from leading artists including Keith Haring, Nam June Paik, Rosemarie Trockel, Ed Ruscha, Annie Leibovitz, Damien Hirst, and Thea Djordjadze.
Dom Pérignon and Jeff Koons
Last year, Jeff Koons used his iconic Balloon Venus design (2008), inspired by the ancient Venus of Willendorf, to create a limited edition sculpture-cum–bottle holder and bottle label for Dom Pérignon. The artist launched two variations in yellow and pink, for the champagne’s Vintage 2004 and Rosé Vintage 2003, respectively. The two-foot-tall champagne cradle was released in a limited edition of 650, each of which will set you back $20,000.
Ruinart and Georgia Russell
Ruinart may be the world’s oldest champagne house—it has been producing since 1729—but it’s also seriously committed to promoting contemporary art. In addition to supporting leading art fairs (including Art Basel, Art Brussels, and Zona Maco Mexico), last spring the brand collaborated with the Scottish artist Georgia Russell. The joint effort culminated in two pieces: the first, a white ornamented limited edition Ruinart box set. The second is a cut-paper sculpture, made from the pages of a copy of Ruinart’s Le Grand Livre, which chronicles the achievements of the champagne maison during the 18th century.
Ornellaia and Michelangelo Pistoletto
In 2013, the Italian wine producer Ornellaia raised a total of $364,900 from the sale of eight large-format bottles customized by the artist Michelangelo Pistoletto. One bottle of Ornellaia 2010 went for $120,400, setting the record for the highest price ever paid for a single bottle of Italian wine at auction. The aim of Ornellaia’s “Vendemmia d’Artista” project is to re-establish and modernize the tradition of Renaissance patronage, producing a limited number of special labels annually, numbered and signed by the artists who designed them. The four editions of Ornellaia “Vendemmia d’Artista” bottles have raised over €1 million at auction, which was donated to various art institutions.
Chateau Mouton Rothschild’s Artist Labels
Established in 1853, Chateau Mouton Rothschild first commissioned the painter Philippe Jullian to commemorate the “Année de la Victoire,” the liberation of France in 1945. Each year since then, a contemporary artist has created an original illustration for the wine producer’s labels. And, while the artists aren’t given any monetary compensation, they receive a number of cases of Chateau Mouton Rothschild’s exceptional output. Commissioned artists include Salvador Dalí (1958), Dorothea Tanning (1965), Marc Chagall (1970), Pablo Picasso (1973), Georg Baselitz (1989) and Lucian Freud (2006).
Champagne Pommery and Kate Jenkins
In 2009, Champagne Pommery became the official champagne of Frieze Art Fair, one of several art events the house supports. In 2010, the brand collaborated with Rebecca Hossack Gallery to create a pop-up invitation-only exhibition at the London Eye, where works commissioned to the British artist Kate Jenkins were displayed. Jenkins, known for her humorous takes on food and drink, created an installation featuring knitted champagne bottles, canapés, and strawberries.
Hennessy and Shepard Fairey
In Spring 2014, the Cognac brand Hennessy announced it would produce a limited-edition bottle in collaboration with the American artist Shepard Fairey, best known as the creator of the iconic “Hope” poster for Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. Hennessy previously collaborated with New York-based artist KAWS in 2011, graffiti legend Futura 2000 in 2012, and the Brazilian duo Os Gêmeos in 2013.
Perrier-Jouët and Makoto Azuma
Inspired by the aromas of champagne, renowned Japanese floral artist Makoto Azuma created a three-dimensional cubic frame in which to suspend his flowers. The sculptural work is part of the Belle Époque Makoto Azuma Floral Edition, which contains a bottle of the 2004 Belle Époque champagne. The unique design pays homage to the Japanese art of floral composition and to Art Nouveau.
Perrier and Street Art
Non-drinkers can whet their palate with an artistically labeled drink. Last September, French sparkling water brand Perrier launched its “Street Art” collection with the help of three artists: JonOne, Sasu, and Kobra. São Paolo–based artist Eduardo Kobra designed cans of Perrier with bright colors and bold lines; Tokyo-based Sasu created a set of labels for 1-liter bottles; and American-born, Paris-based JonOne created designs for Perrier’s glass bottles.
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