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1800 Tequila spotlights Mexican artist
Jose Cuervo-owned 1800 Tequila has unveiled the 12th edition of its Essential Artist Series – an artist-led limited edition bottle collaboration programme that ‘pushes the boundaries of taste in Tequila and in life’.
Founded as a means to showcase art in a non-traditional medium, each year the 1800 Tequila Essential Artist Series presents a new discussion around the crucial link between art and culture.
This new collection features six original works of art by Mexican multimedia artist Raúl de Nieves, and celebrates the many facets of de Nieves’ Mexican heritage and identity.
Speaking to The Spirits Business, Nieves shared how he initially started making art using the non-traditional medium of his discarded shoes, which he used as a form of sculpture making.
“Through the years this item of clothing has allowed me to continue a journey into the unknown world of sculpture-making, using its qualities of structural forms to recreate a testament of time and motion.”
For the 1800 Tequila Essential Artist Series, six exclusive bottles have been created, showcasing original artwork by de Nieves, which are an extension of his ‘A window to the see, a spirit star chiming in the wind of wonder’ installation in the Henry Art Gallery at the University of Washington.
He noted that while he is an expert in working with fused materials, he had never specifically used bottles as a canvas before, noting that this was “a perfect opportunity to explore something new while staying true to my artistic expression.”
The collection symbolises the relationship between the earth realm and the ancestral one through a celestial landscape of infinite possibilities, with each design representing a character on a journey of self-discovery.
Nieves explained that his work has always been inspired by the evolving notion of how people portray themselves to the world, and the process of creating a personal character for one’s self. “For this collection with 1800 Tequila, I channelled my own personal character as a Mexican-American to create six different designs that connect to tell a story of identity, ancestry, and a higher power that lives within us all.
“Each of the six bottles displays a unique masked figure, or character – ranging from recognisable characters, such as a male and female, to more distorted characters that reflect universal emotions or experiences, like fear. These six characters are in conversation to find ‘the self’ and demonstrate how, as people, we embrace all of these different aspects of the self to discover our full, truest form. Overall, it’s about portraiture – and how we can create our own.”
Nieves drew on his Mexican heritage in the curation of the collection “in countless ways”. He said: “Starting with the creation process, making these bottles was an act of careful labour and craftsmanship – two things deeply celebrated in Mexican culture as we truly see the importance of working with one’s hands and embracing diligence as a daily practice.
“Looking at the final bottles, they tell stories of a ‘spiritual value to the self’ and the act of respecting the past while looking to the future, which are also sacred beliefs in Mexican heritage. I’d say every aspect of these bottles is inspired by Mexico – its beauty, history, faith, colours, artistry… it’s all in there.”
Nieves said that being given the opportunity to work on this project with 1800 Tequila “felt like a gift from home”.
“I was already familiar with the 1800 Tequila Essential Artist Series and it was such an honour to be asked to join the programme and be recognised amongst the creative forces who participated before me. This partnership feels like an act of love and respect towards me and my craft.
“1800 Tequila and I share the same pride and dedication to our Mexican heritage and I appreciate that the brand continues to use its platform to showcase the crafts and creatives of our culture. Our shared identities and commitments to culture, care, and craftsmanship made this partnership feel truly authentic. I wanted to bring our worlds together and create something special.
would be neat or in a classic Margarita”
The 12th iteration of the Essential Artist Series is said to further the brand’s ongoing commitment to support emerging and established artists who have impacted culture.
1800 Tequila has previously partnered with renowned artists such as Dustin Yellin, Okuda San Miguel, Shantell Martin, Enoc Perez and the Basquiat and Haring estates.
Through these collaborations, 1800 Tequila has provided creators with an alternative canvas – the glass bottle – ultimately creating numerous sought-after collectibles.
Lander Otegui, senior vice-president of marketing at Proximo Spirits, said: “As the Tequila category grows, 1800 Tequila maintains its leadership as the world’s most awarded Tequila and a historic Mexican brand that prioritises taste across both Tequila and culture.
“This decades-long art project has produced accessible art collectibles for our fans, collaborating with some of the world’s most culturally relevant artists.
“We are proud to have an Essential Artist such as Raúl de Nieves join us this year to explore and introduce our multi-faceted and colourful Mexican culture to a US audience.”
The 1800 Tequila Essential Artist Series 12 featuring Raúl de Nieves’ bespoke bottle collection is now available for US$36 per 750ml bottle. One of six limited edition designs will be chosen at random after purchase.
Purchases can be made via www.1800tequila.com/products/1800-essential-artists-series-12 and in limited quantities in-store across the US.
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