BOMBAY SAPPHIRE: The “King meets Queen”
The third instalment of Bombay Sapphire highly anticipated artist designed Special Edition bottle honouring cultural icon and prolific artist Jean-Michel Basquiat was recently unveiled in collaboration with the Basquiat Estate. As a part of their ongoing ‘Stir Creativity’ programme, Bombay Sapphire has collaborated with the Basquiat Estate to offer a bottle that celebrates Basquiat’s uninhibited creativity and their shared objective to make the art world more accessible to everyone who have a desire for self-expression.
The Special Edition bottle, inspired by Jean-Michel Basquiat’s time in Los Angeles, displays an early work by the artist, Untitled (1983). (L.A Painting). It is a masterpiece influenced by the secluded atmosphere of Venice Beach, where Basquiat found security and serenity away from the temptations of New York in 1982, yet it has never been licenced and has only been presented publicly once. The crown, the bird, the currency, and the skull are all artfully collaged over delicate colours of blue in this painting, which was included in Basquiat’s second ever show. Jean Michel left an international legacy and had a significant impact on modern and contemporary art with the social commentary hidden in the background of his graffiti-inspired works of art.
As part of their partnership, Bombay Sapphire became the official spirits sponsor of “King Pleasure,” the Basquiat Estate’s first-ever family-run exhibition in New York City, which features over 200 works by the artist that have never been exhibited before. The exhibit, which opened on December 1st and runs through January 1st, 2023, is an attempt to celebrate Basquiat’s legacy by encouraging people of all backgrounds to express themselves creatively.
Bombay Sapphire, like the work of Basquiat’s sisters Jeanine Heriveaux and Lisane Basquiat, has a history of giving a platform to underrepresented voices and encouraging artistic expression. By doing things like hosting an annual competition for up-and-coming artists called the Artisan Series and teaming up with artists like Cey Adams and Dianne Smith to transform boring billboards in Harlem into works of art, Bombay Sapphire is constantly exploring new ways to promote diversity and inclusion in the arts.
Bombay Sapphire and the Basquiat Estate have collaborated to produce a unique cocktail called the “King Meets Queen,” which is intended to serve as a blank slate for bartenders and customers to explore with new flavours and techniques. This drink was created to honour Basquiat’s insatiable curiosity and was inspired by the artist’s use of vivid colours, clean lines, and jarring contrast in his Special-Edition bottle.