Ruinart Champagne, the world’s first established Champagne House, announces a creative collaboration with Scottish artist Georgia Russell, who has crafted ornaments to encase Ruinart’s renowned Blanc de Blancs bottles. The limitededition works will be showcased at art fairs globally—including Art Basel in Miami Beach 2014 where Ruinart is the official champagne sponsor—and available through select retailers.
Russell’s design is inspired by Maison Ruinart itself, and the centuries-old carvings on the walls of its champagne cellar. The small time-keeping marks reminded Russell of her own signature usage of a scalpel to cut and transform materials, usually old books, prints, and vintage photographs. In tribute to these unique chalk quarries, Russell created an immaculate white ornament incised with multiple notches shaped specifically as a display case for Ruinart’s Blanc de Blancs. The subtle play of light and shadow around the bottle reveals the gold reflections of Chardonnay, the emblematic grape varietal of the Maison.
Art Basel in Miami Beach 2014 will be the U.S. premiere of Russell’s collection, where the ornaments will be displayed alongside a dynamic sculpture paying tribute to the champagne’s heritage. Russell applied her artistic skills to a copy of Le Grand Livre, the 18th century ledger detailing the achievements of the world’s oldest champagne house.
By manipulating the book’s pages, Russell transformed this cornerstone of Ruinart’s history into an elegant, unfurling piece. Artist Georgia Russell states, “Creating a contemporary, ornamental artwork inspired by the pages of Ruinart’s renowned ledger is a continuation of my practice of cutting paper to bring the past into the present.”
This latest collaboration is part of Ruinart’s ongoing relationship with the arts, commissioning works over the centuries from artists such as Maarten Baas, India Mahdavi, Alphonse Mucha, Gideon Rubin, Patricia Urquiola, and most recently Piet Hein Eek.
Prior to Art Basel in Miami Beach, Russell’s collaboration will be on view at Art Basel in Basel, Art Basel in Hong Kong, and FIAC Paris. The limited-edition ornaments will also be on-sale through select retailers.
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(Source: Ruinart)
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