Anish Kapoor’s Collaboration With Rémy Martin Is Amber Alchemy
When art meets cognac.
Few liquors are as aesthetically striking as XO (extra old) cognac. The earthy reddish-brown of the heralded brandy from its eponymous region in the southwest of France is so distinctive that “cognac” is now a colour in and of itself. Because of the way XO cognac is aged, in French oak barrels and for at least 10 years, and thanks to the gentle stewardship of the cellar master who blends the final product, the wine-based liquor gains a rich colour that lesser brown spirits can only dream of replicating. And among cognacs, few stand out quite like Rémy Martin XO, the house’s signature bottle whose hue inspired the latest work from acclaimed British artist Anish Kapoor.
Kapoor’s association with Rémy Martin extends back to his childhood, when his father, a member of the Indian navy, returned from trips abroad with bottles of the liquor. Seeing him imbibe it left an indelible mark on Kapoor, and he is now paying homage to his father’s good taste with Mirroring Infinite Possibilities. The artwork, which is a concave “mirror” slathered with a proprietary paint blended from “pagan gold mixed with various other kinds of reds and browns,” according to Kapoor, is deceptively simple. It required him to take photos of Rémy Martin’s XO decanter from different angles to capture its diaphanous colour before spending months blending and reblending paints in pursuit of the shade that embodies the liquor. “It took me quite a while to do,” Kapoor says. “Obviously, the liquid in the bottle isn’t just a singular thing—it depends on the light. I wanted to try and hold on to some of that atmosphere.”
Mirroring Rémy Martin’s exacting approach, where cellar master Baptiste Loiseau spends countless hours blending cognacs in the pursuit of consistency, Kapoor’s piece continues the house’s long history as a patron of the arts. “Cognac and the art world share a deep connection, particularly evident in Rémy Martin’s approach,” says Rémy Martin’s executive director, Amaury Vinclet. “Our cellar master embodies artistry through the meticulous blending process, balancing numerous eaux-de-vie to maintain Rémy Martin’s signature style over decades. This intricate process mirrors artistic creation.”
To fully appreciate the colour of the house’s XO cognac, Kapoor also designed a limited-edition decanter for it. Featuring a concave circle that mirrors his artwork at the heart of the bottle’s familiar form, Kapoor’s design offers everyday drinkers a chance to see Rémy Martin’s beguiling cognac in the same way as one of the world’s great artists.
