Basel, Switzerland, August 28, 2014 – Fashion designers often draw inspiration from paintings by world-renowned artists. This summer Jelmoli, one of the oldest and best-known department stores in the world, dedicates its space to international artists. From August 23 to September 20, 2014, “The House of Brands” is transforming its window displays into an art platform by collaborating with the Davidoff Art Initiative, Artalliance Gmbh and Gallery Andres Thalmann.
Jelmoli has invited critically acclaimed Caribbean artist Quisqueya Henríquez to present her work in three store windows along the famous Bahnhofstrasse in Zürich. In spring 2014, Henríquez was commissioned by the Davidoff Art Initiative to create original artwork for the Davidoff Limited Art Edition cigar boxes, which were unveiled and on sale during Art Basel Hong Kong in May 2014 and Art Basel in June 2014. Jelmoli presents the Davidoff Limited Art Editions in Zürich, in addition to five of the Davidoff Collectors Editions, a highly limited run of fifty special edition boxes of cigars with an original print from the series of images developed by Henríquez for the project.
“As one of the oldest and most famous department stores in the world, Jelmoli reflects only the highest level of sophistication and tradition, much like Davidoff’s own mission,” said Paloma Szathmáry, SVP Corporate Communications Oettinger Davidoff AG. “This project is an extraordinary opportunity for Quisqueya to reach a greater audience with her work and we are happy to be a part of it.”
“I’m very proud that Davidoff Art Initiative is collaborating with us for this project. Quisqueya’s artworks remind me of patterns and prints that inspired fashion. The way how she handles it, immediately fascinated me”, said Raul Sanchez, Head of Design, Grand Magasin Jelmoli in Zürich.
“It is an enormous joy to see how museums like the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York are curating magnificent shows like Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty and Punk: Chaos to Couture an exhibition about the influence of the movement in the way we dress, think and behave. In her New York Times review of Charles James: Beyond Fashion currently on view at the Metropolitan Museum, Chief Art Critic Roberta Smith poses the “Perennial question: Can fashion be art?”” said Henríquez. “For me, fashion and art can often speak the same language.”
The artist has chosen two artworks and three prints that are on view at Jelmoli. “I tried to connect some of my work with the idea of art and fashion in the context of Jelmoli’s windows being a public space,” said Henríquez, who was born in Cuba of a Dominican father and now resides in the Dominican Republic. “For some time now I have been creating or recreating patterns that I use directly in my work, as well as in the spaces where I exhibit. This aspect of my work is related to the idea of eliminating blank space, working with shapes, color and saturated surfaces to somehow break the continuity of the white cube. I no longer fill comfortable with white walls. I like to overlap patterns, works of art, text or photography. In fashion the process can be similar, some designers, such as Consuelo Castiglioni, creates designs overlapping layers of fabrics with different colors, patterns and geometric shapes. This inspires me.”
“We are thrilled to support Quisqueya in this new endeavor,” said Albertine Kopp, Manager of the Davidoff Art Initiative. “The Davidoff Art Initiative’s aim is to help artists from the Caribbean and Dominican Republic earn well-deserved exposure in the international art world. Our collaboration with Jelmoli for this project reflects Davidoff’s increasing commitment to the arts and in particular, gaining recognition for the cultural community of the Dominican Republic.”
About Quisqueya Henríquez
Quisqueya Henríquez was born in 1966 in Havana, Cuba and now lives in the Dominican Republic and New York City. She works across collage, print, video, installation, and sound, and challenges conventional thinking about race, ethnicity, and gender, encountered in Caribbean and Latin cultures and practiced universally. Her work focuses on stereotypes originating in corporeal notions of beauty and athleticism, perpetuated by contemporary ideals of cognitive ability, economic achievement, political power, and art history. Henríquez’s work has been included in numerous solo and international group exhibitions throughout Latin America, Europe and the United States. Her work is also included in many private and public collections such as El Museo del Barrio, New York; Museum of Contemporary Art, Miami, FL; Miami Art Museum; Cintas Foundation, NY; Rhode Island School of Design; and Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros, NY, among others.
Other artists included in project:
Jessica Craig-Martin
Dimitri Horta
Xiong QinPascal Robert
Donald Sultan
Bahk Seon Ghi
Fiete Stolte
Claude Viallat
About Jelmoli – Zurich Premium Department Store
Jelmoli – The House of Brands turned 180 years old in 2013, making it one of the oldest department stores in Europe. On 33,000 m2 sales area can be found on the 1000 brands in different worlds. 1993, the premium strategy was adopted and maintained for the sole location Zurich. Currently, the traditional house employs almost 700 people.
About Artalliance GmbH
ARTALLIANCE builds bridges between the art scenes of Europe, Asia and beyond. All our services are shaped by ARTALLIANCE’s three hallmarks: Passion, Vision, Realization. ARTALLIANCE works closely with clients to help them articulate and accomplish their goals within the complex and dynamic terrain of the global art world. With expertise and extensive networks in China, Southeast Asia, and India ARTALLIANCE enables its clients to successfully navigate contemporary art’s most exciting and creative regions. Whether you are developing a collection, an exhibition or an institution, ARTALLIANCE can provide creative solutions and wraparound executive support to assist you at each step along the way, from conception to completion.
About the Davidoff Art Initiative
The Davidoff Art Initiative supports contemporary art and artists in the Caribbean, strengthens art organizations in the Dominican Republic, shares knowledge and expertise about contemporary art, and fosters cultural engagement between the Caribbean and the rest of the world. At the core of the Art Initiative, Davidoff aims to give back to the Dominican Republic cultural community, where much of its production and so many of its employees are based, bring opportunity and visibility to the art and culture of the Caribbean region, extending the company’s long-standing commitment to artistry, craftsmanship, community and quality. The Davidoff Art Initiative’s four global program areas are: the Davidoff Art Residency, Davidoff Art Dialogues, Davidoff Art Grants, and Davidoff Art Editions. www.davidoffartinitiative.com
Davidoff Art Editions
The Davidoff Art Initiative invites contemporary artists from around the world to create special editions related to products or the Davidoff brand. Proceeds from the editions are dedicated to the Davidoff Art Initiative. Selected works from these special editions, along with limited edition prints from artists formerly involved in the Davidoff Art Residency, will be placed in Davidoff’s lounges and stores worldwide with art, making them a showcase for noteworthy creative visionaries of our time.
Oettinger Davidoff AG – A Swiss Family Business Steeped in Tradition
With over 3’500 employees around the world, the CHF 1.2 billion Oettinger Davidoff AG traces its roots back to 1875 and remains family owned to this day. The Group operates two distinctly different businesses: one focused on consumer goods distribution in the Swiss market, and one dedicated to its core business, the producing, marketing, and retailing of premium branded cigars, tobacco products, and accessories. The premium-branded cigar business includes Davidoff, Camacho, Zino Platinum, AVO, Cusano, Griffin’s, Private Stock, Zino, and Winston Churchill Cigars. Oettinger Davidoff AG is anchored in a strong “crop-to-shop” philosophy, having pursued a vertical integration from its tobacco fields in the Dominican Republic and Honduras to its worldwide network of 65 Davidoff Flagship Stores. www.oettingerdavidoff.com