Ruinart collaborates with Chinese artist for Art Basel Hong Kong

Champagne house Ruinart has collaborated with Chinese artist Liu Bolin and launched a series of photographic works entitled “The Invisible Hand”, which will be unveiled for the upcoming Art Basel in Hong Kong (29-31 March).

The series aimed to reveal the invisible imprint of human labour through eight images that capture the, “elegance, history and the daily Champagne production experience of Ruinart”, according to the Champagne house, which has been the official sponsor of Art Basel Hong Kong for five years.

“Art is in the house’s very nature. We are continuing our commitment to art by supporting major contemporary art fairs, and giving carte blanche to an artist each year,” explained Frédéric Dufour, president of Ruinart.

“I was impressed by the team’s expertise and how the surrounding natural resources are put to use in the production of Champagne. From the vineyards to the chalk cellars, whose temperature and humidity are ideal for wine production, Ruinart winemakers draw the best from nature without causing harm.

“I wanted to use this series to showcase their work,” said Liu, who is most known for his collection of works titled “Hiding in the City” where the artist blends into the background of his surroundings.

In the eight photographs for the series, Liu turned a spotlight on the techniques and know-how that go into making Champagne by fading out the humans involved in the process. In some of the images, Liu used Ruinart employees in order to show “how humans are erased by the demands of nature”, said the Champagne house.

“When you see a bottle of Ruinart, it’s hard to imagine the many complex processes that are required to produce it. Ruinart was the first established Champagne house. Its history and its values, which are almost 300 years old, imbue the daily production process,” added Liu.

This year’s Art Basel will be hosted at Hong Kong Exhibition & Convention Centre from 29 to 31 March.