Art from the streets

Since its founding in 1765, the Maison Hennessy has cultivated a tradition of supporting avant-garde artists. Ever pushing new boundaries, the House enriches cultural values and enhances its longstanding legacy through the creative filters of kindred spirits.
Building on this heritage, Hennessy launched an ongoing series of unorthodox street art-inspired collaborations in 2011: thanks to the Hennessy Very Special Limited Edition cognac, a program of artistic projects bridged the House’s tradition of craft and the work of emerging artists on the graffiti and urban culture scene, including KAWS, Shepard Fairey, Os Gemeos and Futura 2000.

The concept? In extending carte blanche to redesign its iconic Three-Star label, Hennessy Very Special offers artists the chance to filter its heritage and savoir-faire through their own creative lens.
Over the years, pairings have ranged from the first creation by the cult New York-based artist KAWS, in 2011 – featuring boldly-hued progressive graphics and the handwritten tagline “Friends, work, music, art – it’s important to find the right blend” – to JonOne’s splashy 2017 ode to the complex layers of flavors and aromas orchestrated by the Master Blender in cognac making.

The cultural phenomenon caught on globally, and urban artists from all over the world took to using the iconic Very Special cognac decanter as their canvas. A gigantic paint-splattered replica of this decanter became the centerpiece for a buzzy performance by JonOne in Shoreditch, London. In the US, the artists Shepard Fairey and Kendrick Lamar headlined memorable happenings in New York City.

And Vhils paid a vibrant homage to local personalities through monumental murals from New York and Chicago to Moscow. In 2019, Felipe Pantone headlined a traveling exhibition that included interactive art experiences.

Hennessy, like its extended family of artists, will never stop celebrating a shared passion for craftsmanship, excellence, tradition and innovation – while bringing some serious street cred to the mix.