Ruinart is taking part in the world’s largest art fairs like Art Basel and Frieze.
ARTS & CULTURE
Maison Ruinart
'RETOUR AUX SOURCES'
RUINART, the oldest and first established champagne house, will be celebrating its 300th anniversary in September 2029. In its long and rich history, Ruinart fostered partnerships with artists almost since the beginning. Alphonse Mucha was one of them in 1896. Today, Ruinart is taking part in the world’s largest art fairs like Art Basel and Frieze – through an annual carte blanche programme, Ruinart collaborates with contemporary artists each year. These projects allow the company to show its heritage and history through the vision of the chosen artist. And from now on: Maison Ruinart will commission a new artistic project in Reims each year – bringing art, creativity and sustainability together.
Through an annual carte blanche programme, Ruinart supports contemporary artists each year.
Maison Ruinart will commission a new artistic project in Reims each year – bringing art, creativity and sustainability together.
This autumn, Ruinart invited an international audience to visit the ancient chalk cellars in Reims, France. It was also the reveal of a newly commissioned artwork – a starting point of the 10-year countdown to the 300th anniversary of Maison Ruinart. ‘Retour aux sources’ is a site-specific installation by artist duo Mouawad Laurier – located deep under the earth in the cellars of Ruinart, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The work brings data, artificial intelligence and the living world together. Technological innovation connected with art – an immersive experience for the viewer. At a place where time stands still. The Ruinart chalk cellars are made out of a special chalk which once formed the bottom of the ocean. With ‘Retour aux sources’ the artist duo and Ruinart are striving to reconnect with the Maison’s roots – the core and origin of the brand. The structure expresses the changes in the world, like seasons, the climate and temperature but also the different phases in winemaking. The work’s form was visually inspired by a root, planted in the cellar and listening to what happens within its surroundings above – letting the viewer dive into a visual-sound-experience 30 meters below the ground. The displayed root-installation is endowed with sensors and listens to the natural elements involved in the champagne production process through a device that uses complex artificial intelligence.
The Artists
Maya Mouawad and Cyril Laurier form the artist duo Mouawad Laurier. Both are working together on innovative artistic projects for many years. They are also collaborating with other artists under the name Hand Coded. In 2006, they started using artificial intelligence. ‘Retour aux sources’ is a combination of elements from works from the past.
