How Anish Kapoor and Rémy Martin turned cognac into art

Renowned artist Anish Kapoor gives Rémy Martin XO a new look. His design has turned the colour of cognac into a work of art, while celebrating personal memories and the heritage of Maison Rémy Martin.

With over 300 years of history, Rémy Martin is one of the biggest cognac producers in the world. It is therefore no mean feat when an artist is given free rein to reinterpret the unmistakable decanter of a bottle of Rémy Martin XO. This honour was bestowed on none other than Anish Kapoor, the artist behind the world-famous Cloud Gate in Chicago and the Sky Mirror outside the Nottingham Playhouse theatre. The result of this collaboration was presented last Thursday at London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts.

Rémy Martin CEO Jean-Philippe Hecquet was delighted with the result: ​“It has been a long journey and we are very happy with the collaboration. This is a big moment for us.” 

In addition to the newly designed decanter, Kapoor’s new work Mirroring Infinite Possibilities was also presented last Thursday at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London. The concave mirror-like artwork (a frequently occurring motif in Kapoor’s portfolio) glows in the same colour tones as a glass of Rémy Martin.

Kapoor and the XO: a personal story

“When Rémy Martin approached me, I didn’t take much persuading,” said Kapoor at the event. ​“It’s a complex thing for an artist to connect with a product. But I don’t see this as a product — for me it’s something sentimental.” After all, Rémy Martin XO was Kapoor’s father’s favourite drink, as the artist revealed.

“It’s actually a tribute to the original decanter,” explained Elie Hériard Dubreuil, board member at Rémy Cointreau and member of the family that owns Maison Rémy Martin. ​“It brings the colour completely into the light. Anyone who knows Anish knows that colour is everything to him… This design really highlights the colour of the cognac.”

Exclusive tasting experiences from London to Vienna

Even more exclusive than Rémy Martin XO, LOUIS XIII is another cognac from the same house, which is extremely rare and aged for a very long time. The Dorchester has been a trusted partner for 15 years and is the only place in the world where the complete LOUIS XIII RARE CASK Collection can be experienced — exclusively in the newly designed Vesper Bar. The interior, created by renowned London designer Martin Brudnizki, exudes the glamour of the Golden Twenties with a modern twist. Guests can also enjoy the fine spirit in Berlin’s members-only China Club in the legendary Hotel Adlon and at The Amauris Hotel in Vienna, where the 3‑litre bottles — known as Jeroboams — are the first and only ones to be found in their respective countries. An absolute experience for connoisseurs in one of the house’s rarest formats.

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