If you’re an art lover seeking a sustainable and humorous gift, look no further than the limited-edition Ruinart labels by David Shrigley.
Every year, Maison Ruinart welcomes an internationally-celebrated contemporary artist in Reims to share his or her vision of the champagne house. This year, British artist David Shrigley applied his unique take on Maison Ruinart across an ensemble of 36 drawings and acrylics. The labels feature on the champagne house’s environmentally conscious packaging, the innovative Ruinart second skin. Eco-designed bottles are ideal for the festive season and they are only available only in the UK.
Shrigley’s carte blanche for Maison Ruinart
The British contemporary artist has created two reinterpretations of the classic Ruinart label for a limited edition second skin case of Ruinart Blanc de Blancs and Ruinart Rosé. Best known for his distinctive drawing style; Shrigley’s works make satirical comments on everyday situations and human interactions. His quick-witted drawings and hand-rendered texts reflect deadpan humour, resembling snippets of over-heard conversations. Selected from his wider collection of 42 ‘Unconventional Bubbles’ carte blanche artworks, he uses humour to reveal the hidden side of champagne production, the savoir faire and Ruinart’s relationship with nature — elements observed during his visits to Reims and the vineyards.
Rediscovering Ruinart
David Shrigley says: “The wine is important, the reflection of the wine is also important. Each bottle is the same, each bottle is different. This is true of champagne and it is also true of art, in that each time you hang something on the wall, or place something on the floor, its character is altered. I have a tendency to make statements that from a certain stance, make sense but ultimately defeat themselves at the end. I make statements and try to figure out what they mean afterwards. After it is exhibited and hundreds and thousands of people have looked at it, only then do I try to figure out what it means.”
A new innovation in packaging
Ruinart is the first champagne house to do away with the traditional single bottle gift box. Instead, the revolutionary second skin case is made up of a 100% paper sheath moulded to the curves of its signature bottle — its silky yet textured surface evokes the dramatic chalky nature of the champagne House’s UNESCO World Heritage wine cellars.
The result is elegant, functional and fully recyclable. Each case reduces its carbon footprint by 60% and requires 90% fewer resources to produce than its previous generation of gift boxes. Resistant to humidity, the sheath can remain on the bottle throughout the journey of the champagne, preserving its taste and making storage easier.
Ruinart second skin Blanc de Blancs NV featuring label by David Shrigley 75cl is priced £76 and Ruinart second skin Rosé featuring label by David Shrigley 75cl is prices £76 both available from Clos19.com
