Hennessy 250 Tour 3rd Stop at Lincoln Center in New York City

Hennessy 250 Tour 3rd Stop at Lincoln Center in New York City

The Hennessy 250 Tour arrives at Lincoln Center in New York City to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Maison and its many historic, artistic and cultural ties with the United States.

(L-R): Maurice Richard Hennessy, International Hennessy Ambassador, musician Nas and Daniel Arsham, (Photo by Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Hennessy)

On the occasion of Hennessy’s 250th anniversary celebration, Maison Hennessy chairman and CEO Bernard Peillon marked the third stop in the worldwide Hennessy 250 Tour with a preview and dinner at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. The celebration drew VIP guests including music artist Nas and contemporary artists Daniel Arsham, Futura and Constance Guisset. Guests were invited to experience the Hennessy 250 Tour, where they were treated with an artistic happening courtesy of choreographer Jonah Baker and selected rising stars at the prestigious Juilliard School performing arts conservatory. They then gathered for a seated dinner and auction of the 250-liter barrel of Hennessy 250 Collector Blend recently transported across the Atlantic Ocean aboard the Hermione.  With the New York opening of the Hennessy 250 Tour, Hennessy not only honors a treasured historical relationship that dates back to the time of the American Revolution, it celebrates the many dynamic exchanges that have made the brand a part of the American fabric of culture, music and the arts. In the spirit of the Maison’s signature slogan, “Never Stop, Never Settle”. “For 250 years, Hennessy has forged its reputation by always looking forward and cultivating ties with other countries and cultures. The history of the United States and the story of Hennessy have been so closely entwined for 250 years,” noted Hennessy chairman and CEO Bernard Peillon in his welcome speech. “The Hennessy 250 Tour is Hennessy’s way of celebrating the rich, profound and varied ties our countries share.” Peillon recalled how, in 1794, the first shipment of Hennessy cognacs set sail for the Americas, only a few years after the Hermione, “The Frigate of Liberty” arrived in Marblehead, Massachusetts with General Lafayette aboard. “Today, it is with great pride and emotion that we inaugurate The Hennessy 250 Tour here on American soil, at a time when we are also welcoming the return of the legendary Hermione. It reminds us of the spirit of liberty and that, with determination, anything is possible. She is the most glorious tribute imaginable to the time-honored ties between France, Hennessy, and the United States of America.” Leading contemporary artists including Daniel Arsham and Constance Guisset, whose carte blanche creations are featured in the Hennessy 250 Tour, joined a selection of 150 VIPs. Also present were Maurice Hennessy, 8th generation of the Hennessy family, Master Blender Yann Fillioux, 7th generation, and his Comité de Dégustation, and Hennessy 250 Tour co-curators Hervé Mikaeloff and Raphael Gérard. The Hennessy 250 Collector Blend was revealed with an exceptional tasting. The event concluded with a silent auction, during which one barrel containing 250 liters of the Hennessy 250 Collector blend was sold for $175,000. Proceeds from the auction will be donated to the Robin Hood Foundation.  The Hennessy 250 Tour Exhibition 1765-2015… Hennessy is celebrating 250 years of a remarkable adventure. It is an occasion for the Maison to pay tribute to all those who have forged its success on five continents with the Hennessy 250 Tour. Conceived as an unprecedented, hybrid cultural event, The Hennessy 250 Tour is a major travelling exhibition dedicated to those who have made Hennessy what it is today, through an artistic and cultural approach. As orchestrated by art curator Hervé Mikaeloff in collaboration with Hennessy heritage expert Raphaël Gérard and scenographer Nathalie Crinière, The Hennessy 250 Tour show offers a 360° perspective on the legendary Cognac maker’s past, present and future through a trove of archival materials, portraits, and films recounting the Hennessy family’s rendezvous with important moments in History and its global adventure.  The Hennessy 250 Tour also features an array of artistic creations, both real and virtual, which were specially created for this event and are displayed over more than 6,500 square feet (600 square meters) of gallery space. These carte blanche creations and performances by a selection of leading contemporary artists evoke the Maison’s legacy and expertise. Among the featured works are pieces by French artists Xavier Veilhan and Pierrick Sorin, French designer Constance Guisset, American artist Tony Oursler, Scottish artist Charles Sandisonand Dutch photographer and film director Anton Corbijn. The Hennessy 250 Tour is shown in five cities chosen for their significant historical and cultural affinities with Hennessy. After Guangzhou in March and Moscow in May and New York in July, the Hennessy 250 Tour will travel to Johannesburg in August and Paris in September. Every stop on The Hennessy 250 Tour showcases the ‘Here to There’ section with culture-specific installations featuring video artwork by five artists including Yang Yongliang (China), Olga Kisseleva (Russia), Daniel Arsham (USA), Dineo Seshee Bopape (South Africa), and Laurent Pernot (France). These events were created in order to illustrate Hennessy’s philosophy of blending influences and cultures.  The New York edition of the Hennessy 250 Tour, in addition to American artist Daniel Arsham’s video, features an original contemporary dance performance by the prestigious Juillard School, inspired by Hennessy’s legacy. A rich program of live performances and happenings round out this chapter of the Hennessy 250 Tour. These include public discussions in the Lincoln Center auditoriums, in which featured artists share their creative process and present the pieces they created for the Hennessy 250 Tour.  The Hennessy 250 Tour will be open for visits from July 8th- 10th by appointment only.  More than 1,300 visitors are expected at the exhibition.