French cognac house Hennessy blended tradition and innovation as it stepped into the vibrant tapestry of Chinese culture this Lunar New Year by partnering with the visionary Chinese artist Yang Yongliang, who brought mythical dragons to life in this year's limited-edition Hennessy V.S.O.P and X.O. bottles by mixing ancient art and cutting-edge digital technology.
According to Maison Hennessy education and training manager Maxime Touzeau, the collaboration with the "Master of Dragons" goes beyond mere artistic partnership as the interplay between heritage and contemporary expression mirrors the cognac house's timeless but ever-evolving legacy.
"Mr. Yang worked with not just traditional Chinese art, but also digital art. And again, the blend of new or modern art and ancient art is a great echo to Maison Hennessy because we work in the same way -- preserving and maintaining the old time tradition while always looking forward to tomorrow and new techniques. So, these kinds of meaningful partnerships with artists that share the same vision and values of Hennes," Touzeau told ANCX in an interview.
"So the solution of talents between the traditional and modernity is very present at Hennessy. In fact, the example of crafting our cognacs, we make sure to follow the same craftsmanship that the previous generations used to work with. Of course, with additional modern techniques when it comes to the vineyard and storage for example, but this contributes to maintaining the quality and consistency of our cognac. But whenever it comes to blending the cognac, growing the grapes, or distilling the wine, we do it in the traditional way," he added.
The bottles are part of the curated display of the limited-edition bottles, that were likewise crafted for a grand celebration. The collection is among the highlights of Hennessy's first Year of the Dragon Experiential Pop Up at Greenbelt in Makati City.
Other activities in the month-long affair that brings together the richness of Chinese tradition with modernity is a calligraphy workshop, fortune telling booth, as well as fan and lantern painting lessons.
"This pop-up will be the pinnacle of the CNY experience. People will be able to come in, discover the beautiful limited edition bottles we have, but also they will be able to participate in different workshops," Touzeau said.