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Vik Muniz Photographs Wine Vines for Frieze Art Fair

As part of Ruinart‘s annual artistic initiative, Brazilian artist Vik Muniz worked on a project named “Shared Roots” which debuted at Frieze New York. Muniz took a metaphoric trip to the origins — the origins of the bubbly wine and of the vignerons who shape the vines to ultimately produce the sweetest juice.

Muniz initially became known for his portraits made out of garbage in the movie Waste Land, which chronicled his mission to find materials from the world’s largest landfill. In 10 years he has circled the globe, collaborated with a multitude of brands on more social issues, and experimented with new mediums. The enthusiastic man, with a glass of golden Ruinart in hand, remains a proper social butterfly, especially when Brazilian friends approach when we meet at the Frieze Art Fair. “I think I have the best job in the world,” he remarks.

Images: Courtesy of Ruinart

“If you work with pencil or oil paint, you stay in the studio your whole entire life,” Muniz explains. Instead, he works with known materials, objects, and things that inspire him, whether found somewhere in the middle of Central Brazil or Reims, France. With so many unknown components in paints (like mummy powder and rabbit goop,) his unorthodox material approach may actually be more orthodox.

Working with Ruinart, Muniz was immediately attracted to trees, vines, and dead tree stumps which he had wanted to photograph for a while. “These vines tell a story of curiosity and suffering at the same time. They are very resilient — stoic. Vines are storytellers,” he explains why he chose to focus on vines for his project. “In a way, it’s a little bit of the dance because their form is a gesture that is being done together with human beings,” Muniz added another human element to this relationship: his own as an onlooker and artist conveying their secrets. He finally compiled 11 images into 5 different photographs, a time-lapse, and an art installation in Reims adding up to seven artworks altogether.

Muniz created a giant chardonnay leaf time-lapse out of actual chardonnay leaves found in the Ruinart vineyards.

Vik Muniz “Chardonnay Leaf”

His “Flow Hands” piece features the hands of Frédéric Panaïotis, Maison Ruinart’s Cellar Master, holding a vine stock. The hand blend into the wood as one with the same color trajectory and direction.

Vik Muniz “Flow Hands”

The “Flow” pieces finally bring forth a certain idea Muniz wanted to play around with. The pieces draw vines with pieces of charcoal, essentially a dead tree drawing a tree.

Vik Muniz “Flow Diptych”

The final installation is housed in the Ruinart house back home in Reims where empty champagne bottles glow with LED lights. For Muniz, a partnership with Ruinart is not his first but truly cherry-picked as he loves to work with individuals focused on sensory pleasures — like perfumers and winemakers. “I like collaborating with people that help me see things differently,” says Muniz. “The moment you start asking questions you’re not just looking at something, you’re actually wondering why you’re seeing something else. This is important for me.”

Five of the seven pieces will be available in an edition of eight copies. Additional, the artist design 30 numbered limited-edition jeroboam gift boxes (SRP $5,000) available starting May 1st. Vik Muniz’s work is on view at the Ruinart Lounge at the Frieze Art Fair through Sunday, May 5th on Randall’s Island.

Artist Liu Bolin x Ruinart Champagne at Frieze

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjQKx-H1Dic

Known as The Invisible Man, Chinese artist Liu Bolin is collaborating with France’s oldest champagne house Ruinart at this year’s Frieze New York. This moniker came about when his office was demolished and he created the almost perfectly seamless blending-in of himself into photo as a protest. He wanted to demonstrate the coexisting relationship between construction and humanity — a concept that also appealed to the champagne magnate. In his final eight pieces with Ruinart, Bolin elegantly illustrates the meticulous process of champagne-making by masking himself and the workers of the house into the landscape of the everyday champagne production. We sat down with the artist at Frieze to find out more about the collaboration.

Angelika Pokovba: How did you go about choosing Ruinart to collaborate with?

Liu Bolin: (per translator) For me it was important to know about the company. When I had communication exchanges with the team I felt their passion about their work, their company’s culture, and I focused on reflecting this aspect in the artwork.

AP: Did the idea to incorporate yourself into the “landscape” come naturally, or did you set out looking for backdrops to blend into?

LB: Before I came into it I didn’t actually have something in mind. It was not very clear. After I walked around the premises and I learned about the entire production process from the beginning to the end including production, storage, filtering, etc., I found it to be a beautiful process and I wanted to record this beauty.

(Each of the shots demonstrates a different part of the champagne making process. )

AP: Would you elaborate of how you actually made these pieces and how many people were involved?

LB: The first photo is at the winery and I invited Frederique, who is the production/technology expert. He is someone that would have a record of when the grapes were first collected and then the weather, the temperature, all of these things… He is someone who has the control from the first steps. So he is the first photo. That first photo is related to the source of production and I also included him in others so that he is involved in the entire process from the beginning until the end.

AP: What do you believe you accomplished with these pieces?

LB: That touches on the core of my artwork. I think that all artists do these things and have a discovery of certain issues and questions. Through the collaboration with Ruinart, I feel that I have deepened my understanding of the winery culture and of European culture. From my collaboration and communication with these people who are very clearly passionate about wine and the heritage of this company, that has really touched me and made me more deeply appreciate the European craftsmanship– what kind of effort their are willing to go through to create such a brand and such a heritage. This is something that also helped me and gave me nutrients for my work.

As an artist I like to keep challenging myself in my work. Regrettably the public has acknowledged and liked the photos so far, but not the other things I have done. I think I will put more effort for my other forms of art to be liked as well.

Find Liu Bolin’s pieces at the Ruinart Champagne Lounge at Frieze until May 6th.

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Photos: Courtesy of Ruinart.