Hennessy announces the fifth edition of its Very Special Limited Edition series by unveiling a new design created by critically acclaimed American contemporary artist Ryan McGinness. It represents the latest in Hennessy’s series of collaborations for Hennessy Very Special with internationally renowned artists that have included Futura, Os Gemeos, KAWS and Shepard Fairey. It is also part of a continued legacy of artistic collaborations at Hennessy — the most recent being the Hennessy 250 Tour which saw an exhibition of carte blanche creations by contemporary artists of international acclaim, as part of Hennessy’s 250th anniversary.
At the heart of this exceptional project with Ryan McGinness are the formations of elements in his ongoing body of work ‘Black Holes’, a pattern in bright fluorescent colors that will extend beyond the label and packaging, to be incorporated into site-specific installations. “I wanted the colour palette and overall design to be very bright and colourful, and for these colours to radiate from the centre,” explains Ryan McGinness.
To initiate the mutuality of the exchange, the artist was allowed to explore and reinterpret elements within the visual branding of Hennessy Very Special – including its iconic coat of arms. His new drawing is of an arm holding a flower composed of a blooming radiating eye, a recurring core element in the artist’s work. For his bottle design, he also subverted the bottle’s metadata – the type of information usually to be found on the label in ‘fine print’ – and decided to showcase it in a prominent way through his own visual language.
In his body of work, McGinness explores the visual language of elements, compounds and mixtures, a language that he compares to the creative process of Hennessy: “Combining my elements and my compounds to form mixtures, are parallel with Hennessy’s artful blending of ingredients. For Hennessy, the elements are the grapes, the compounds are the eaux-de-vies and the mixtures are the blends that constitute the cognac.”
“Ryan McGinness’ work reflects a fresh, energetic use of multiple elements- from colours to icons, to create designs of enduring impact. “We are thrilled to be partnering with Ryan McGinness during our 250th Anniversary year” said Bernard Peillon, President and CEO of Hennessy. “This new Hennessy Limited Edition bottle design embodies his passion and commitment to his craft, the same characteristics Hennessy has pursued since 1765.”
Ryan McGinness has embarked on a global tour with Hennessy at the beginning of August, as part of the Cognac’s 250th anniversary tour. The exhibition travelled to four iconic cities in the world: Guangzhou, Moscow, New York and Johannesburg.
The 750ml bottle retails at R379.95 and is available at all major liquor outlets. For more information about the Hennessy V.S Limited Edition bottle by Ryan McGinness, visit www.hennessy.com. Follow Hennessy on Facebook (HennessySouthAfrica) and Instagram (@HennessySA).
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