Cognac, France – A new cultural institution by Cognac brand Martell aims to foster creativity in the region.
The self-proclaimed ‘oldest of the great Cognac houses’, Martell hopes that its new art foundation, which is located in one of its former bottling factories, will help it to bridge the gap between history and modernity. Pitched as a ‘creative eco-system’, the Foundation d’enterprise Martell will provide space for cultural events and artistic collaborations.
Foundation director Nathalie Viot will curate the cultural programme, which will include art, design, architecture, crafts and technology. Her first commission is By Nature, an immersive, site-specific landscape made from materials used in the production of Martell bottles – sand, wood, glass crystals and plants.
‘Our vision for the Foundation revolves around the idea of a creative eco-system, a transversal platform,’ brand director Axelle de Buffévent told Wallpaper.
Brands such as Martell, Louis Vuitton and Galeries Lafayette are stepping in to fill the art and design void left by government cutbacks.