Exploring Nature From Different Perspectives: Maison Ruinart’s Carte Blanche Commission 2024

The practices of the invited artists are as diverse as their countries of origin. Some focus on biodiversity, others on data related to climate change, dreams, poetry, acoustic elements of nature, or activism. The common denominator that unites them is a genuine interest in nature and a shared awareness of the importance of protecting it. This year’s approach emphasizes the need for joint efforts and unity in tackling the environmental challenges of our time. Ignant took a closer look at the practices in this year’s commission.

Oliveira is known for his works exploring the tension between nature and urban life. His often monumental installations resemble organic structures and roots growing out of unexpected environments and are frequently made from humble materials like recycled plywood. For the commission, the Brazilian artist created an over-dimensional root from recycled inlay woods and papier-mâché, reinforced by an internal metal structure. The shape of the sculpture resembles an inverted vine, whose roots, instead of finding their paths on subterranean levels, emerge to the surface and expand into the air. “Desnatureza 6” serves as a symbol for the eternal cycle of life and the annual renewal that defines the winemaking process.

Based in Los Angeles, artist Andrea Bowers uses aesthetics as a tool to inspire action. With her multidisciplinary practice, which includes drawing, installation, sculpture, and video, she has been fighting for environmental, immigration, and women’s rights for many years. Her devotion to protecting forests has inspired her to design a suspended steel sculpture titled “Chandeliers of Interconnectedness.” For its creation, the artist traced grape leaves and developed these drawings into neon and recycled glass forms, which she then assembled into a chandelier. The leaves bear the words of the poem “To Change the World… So That There Can Still Be A World” by French philosopher Françoise d’Eaubonne, which calls for action to preserve the environment and ecosystem of our planet.

Thijs Bersteker is a Dutch artist who has committed himself to turning facts into feelings. For his projects he collaborates with universities, cultural institutions, and researchers to transform abstract information into artwork that highlights the global ecological issues we face. By combining data, sensors, and trees, he enables viewers to understand climate change better on an emotional level and thus inspire action. For the Carte Blanche commission, he created “Xylemia,” a sculpture that (similar to a vine) climbs up a tree trunk and visualizes the sap flowing through the tree in real time. Made from sustainable materials, the work evokes associations with blood that runs through the veins of the human body, showing the similarities between all living beings.

Intrigued by the transformative qualities of the elements, particularly water, musician and sound artist Tomoko Sauvage dedicates her practice to exploring their sonic qualities. Combining water, ceramics, sub-aquatic amplification, and electronics with an experimental approach, the Japanese artist creates sound installations that she activates through live performances, using chance as a compositional method. For her latest project, Sauvage incorporated porous chalk stones found in the winemaking cellars into her sound installation. Submerging these soft rocks in water naturally produces bubbles, which Sauvage acoustically elevates by amplifying their sounds through hydrophones. The result is a collection of ephemeral musical moments that remind of the rhythmic breathing of living beings.

Ornithologist and artist Marcus Coates examines the relationship between the human-made world and nature. Through his video works, performative installations, and sculptures, he brings conversations between humans and the animal world to life. The artist uses these dialogues as metaphors to emphasize the importance of attentiveness, observation, and learning from nature. For the collaboration, the Londoner crafted a calendar documenting daily occurrences and the biodiversity in the vineyards of Maison Ruinart. Those included the flowering of plants, the return of migratory birds, and the life cycle of insects. To share his observations with a broader audience, he wrote them with short sentences on flags, a new one being hoisted daily. Coates’s “Nature Calendar” is a celebration of the news from nature that are sometimes overlooked by the human eye.

Combining humor and poetry, Cameroonian artist Pascale Marthine Tayou creates work that addresses inequalities between countries in a global context. Often working on monumental scales, Tayou’s creations are usually crafted from inexpensive and recycled materials. For “Conversations With Nature,” he recounts one of his dreams through a large-scale sculpture. In his dream, Tayou found himself walking on the vineyards during the grape harvest. He wandered on the land until he found himself at the edge of the forest, where he encountered a group of deer. After waking up, Tayou envisioned creating a sculpture resembling a tree trunk made of an antler. Adorning this fantastical tree are colorful glass spheres reminiscent of grapes, symbolically connecting to the champagne bottles that will eventually hold them in their liquid form.

By inviting a group of artists with such profoundly different approaches, this year’s commission celebrates the diversity that collectively defines our planet. The works are a beautiful comment on the richness of nature while simultaneously highlighting the collective effort we have to make to protect it.

The works of Thijs Biersteker, Marcus Coates, and Henrique Oliveira will be presented during the upcoming Berlin Gallery Weekend at “Ruinart Maison 1729—From Champagne Vineyards to Berlin” at Tacheles (Oranienburger Straße 54, Berlin) from April 25 to April 29, 2024.

This feature is part of a collaboration between Ruinart and Ignant. Please enjoy responsibly.