-- Livestreamed from Cognac to audiences worldwide, the artist's The Birth of 
Tragedy honors the universal values of resilience, courage and hope

Cai Guo-Qiang is one of the most admired artists on the contemporary art scene. 
In addition to his largescale, site-specific installations, Cai is particularly 
renowned for his unique use of gunpowder and fireworks as an artistic medium to 
stage spectacular public events of intense emotional resonance, as he did for 
the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. This fall, Hennessy invites Cai Guo-Qiang to 
create a daytime explosion event to be held on the Charente in Cognac, France, 
on Friday, September 25th at 3 PM CET. 

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1273970/Hennessy_Logo.jpg
Video - 
https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1274898/hennessy_trailer_DrinkResponsibly_final.mp4

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1273971/Hennessy_Cai_Art.jpg 
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1273972/Hennessy_Cai.jpg

This impassioned fireworks display was designed as an uplifting event amid the 
unprecedented context of a pandemic. Inspired by Nietzsche's "The Birth of 
Tragedy," Cai Guo-Qiang composed a 15-minute fireworks event in three acts to 
honor the eternal cycle of creation and destruction and the human spirit that, 
while acknowledging pain, nonetheless embraces and rejoices in life, in harmony 
with nature. Like a theatrical performance, this artistic odyssey promises to 
explode with drama, poetry, color and emotion, with multicolored fireworks 
launched from 150 oak barrels floating on the Charente River that echo Hennessy 
X.O's 150th anniversary. In a first for the Maison, "World Odyssey" will be 
unveiled internationally via livestream. For the artist, this project 
represents the first time he has conceived a daytime explosion event launched 
from an aquatic environment, to be broadcast to a global, real-time audience.

"In these unprecedented times, what has become particularly clear is that we 
are one interconnected family," says Hennessy president and CEO Laurent 
Boillot. "At Hennessy, our roots run deep thanks to longstanding relationships 
reaching back generations. Today, from his base in New York City, Cai Guo-Qiang 
reminds us of those time-honored bonds with a masterpiece of universal beauty 
and resonance. On behalf of the Maison Hennessy, it is not only an honor and a 
privilege to host this artistic event, it is a demonstration of our steadfast 
commitment to our extended international family. A century and a half after the 
Hennessy X.O saga began, Cai offers an artistic vision of an Odyssey forged by 
unity, resilience and hope. In the exceptional context of 2020, those values 
guide us, reminding us how far we've come, and how far we can still travel 
together. From our vantage point in Cognac, where fireworks from the East - 
Liuyang county in China - blooms in the sky overlooking the Charente, Hennessy 
and Cai are proud to welcome one and all to participate in an artistic event 
that honors generosity of spirit and looks to new horizons with renewed 
courage." 

Says Cai Guo-Qiang, "We are now entering a new chapter of humankind's strenuous 
odyssey. The signal from Cognac, travelling through cloud infrastructure, 
connects individuals from different parts of the world, enabling primeval 
passion to burst and form a community of shared future that is closely bonded 
with nature and art. While the fireworks express my contemplation on tragedy, 
art, and the essence of life, I hope the audience will draw inspiration from 
the fireworks in order to reconcile with nature and find the power to heal."

The event is yet another instant of the energy, persistence and hope 
demonstrated by Maison Hennessy this year in an effort to support its 
communities in Cognac and internationally. "World Odyssey" carries a dual 
message from the illustrious cognac maker and the artist, one of consolation to 
those affected by the pandemic, and of confidence in the future that will be 
livestreamed across digital platforms including Hennessy.com, WeChat, Tencent, 
Facebook, and YouTube.

Cai Guo-Qiang's daytime explosion event will be staged using exclusively 
non-toxic, reduced-smoke, CE-certified pyrotechnic products.

To learn more and view the livestream, visit 
Hennessy.com/en-int/stories/cai-guo-qiang-live-event

ABOUT CAI GUO-QIANG

The recipient of numerous international art awards, including the Medal of Arts 
from the State Department (Washington DC), the 24th Praemium Imperiale Lifetime 
Achievement in the Arts (Tokyo), and the Fondation Cartier award (Paris), Cai 
served as the Director of Visual and Special Effects for the 2008 Beijing 
Olympic Games, for which he staged remarkable opening and closing ceremony 
events. A native of Quanzhou, China, Cai currently lives and works in New York. 
His personal story, inspirations and projects are the subject of the acclaimed 
Netflix documentary Sky Ladder (2016) by Academy Award-winning director Kevin 
Macdonald.  This event in partnership with the Maison Hennessy marks his first 
collaboration with a luxury brand.

ABOUT HENNESSY X.O
In 1870, Maurice Hennessy, a 4th-generation member of the Hennessy family, 
asked the Cellar Master Emile Fillioux to create a special cognac for his 
family and friends, using long-aged eaux-de-vie to perfect the blend. They 
called it "X.O" for "Extra Old". Hennessy X.O became the first House blend to 
attain international renown, to the point that the X.O classification became a 
gauge of uncompromising quality. In 1947, Gerald de Geoffre - Maurice 
Hennessy's great-grandson - created its iconic carafe, a shape inspired by an 
upturned cluster of grapes. Today, Hennessy X.O remains as true as it was when 
Maurice Hennessy first shared it with his inner circle. A timeless symbol with 
a powerful and balanced structure, it carries the promise of an extremely long 
finish: each drop an invitation to embark on an odyssey of the senses through 
seven tasting notes.

In 2020, Hennessy X.O marks its 150th birthday with a masterpiece by Cai 
Guo-Qiang.

ABOUT HENNESSY 
The leader in Cognac, the Maison Hennessy has shined around the world with its 
exceptional know-how for more than 250 years. Built on founder Richard 
Hennessy's spirit of conquest, the brand is present in more than 160 countries. 
Based in the heart of the Charente region, Hennessy is also a steadfast pillar 
of the regional economy. The Maison's success and longevity are rooted in the 
excellence of its cognacs, each of which is born of a unique process of 
transmission of know-how from generation to generation. The first spirits house 
to be certified ISO 14001, Hennessy unites its capacity for innovation and the 
support of all of its partners to protect this exceptional area. As a crown 
jewel of the LVMH Group, Hennessy is a major contributor to French 
international trade, with 99% of production sold in export, and a worldwide 
ambassador for the French art de vivre.

Media contact 
Will Davis 
+1-(917-618-0185 
will.davis@6degrees.group 


SOURCE: Hennessy