The spirit in the art

KNOWN THE WORLD over for their funky, yellow-skinned figures that have decorated buildings from Lisbon to New York and Moscow to their native Brazil, Otavio and Gustavo Pandolfo recently turned their attention to something a little smaller: the label of a brandy bottle.

Os Gemeos, as the identical twin brothers and mural artists call themselves, were recently commissioned by Hennessy to come up with special edition bottles for interested art enthusiasts, cognac connoisseurs and hip-hop fans.

“Os Gemeos are now among the top five contemporary artists of the world and also serve as cultural ambassadors of Brazil. We find their colourful creations inspiring and with the World Cup taking place later this year in Brazil, there really was no one better for the 2014 label,” says June Miyachi, marketing director of Moet Hennessy Japan, chatting with the press during the recent “Hennessy VS x OsGemeos” party at the Sound Museum Vision Club in Shibuya, Japan.

“Last year’s collaboration with Futura resulted in a huge buzz that really resonated in Japan where consumers are always looking for new trends and cultures. We’ve also enjoyed tremendous success with the Hennessy Artistry event. This is a unique music concept that sees us working with artists from around the world and which aims to promote the art of mixing various genres and blending sounds in much the same way as our master blenders combine eaux-de-vie to create truly wonderful cognac. Through the Os Gemeos design as well as music, we’re trying to express what Hennessy has to offer to the younger generation in terms of a cultural experience.”

In 2011, the cognac brand partnered with Kaws, whose contemporary design featured bright colours, as well as his trademark – a pair of large Xs often used to replace the eyes of many cartoon characters. The second street-art collaboration came in 2012, when Futura created one of his abstract drawings derived from his unique airbrush techniques.

The newest illustration is typically Os Gemeos and depicts a scene from their hometown, Sao Paulo. Inspired by the elegance, tradition and smoothness of Hennessy VS, the design is evocative of the vibrant, eclectic style that has come to define the twins’ work.

 “OsGemeos visited Hennessy cognac and they were inspired by our deep craftsmanship and sense of place. The illustration is the interpretation of their sense of place and shows their roots. They are known for using vibrant colours and this time their palette has been inspired by Hennessy ODV with yellow, orange and brown,” says Miyachi.

The brothers were unfortunately unable to fly to Japan for the party, which featured shows by Madlib, Masadua, NASA, and Karol Conka, but the cognac brand’s hospitality continued with a visit not long after to discover yet more street art. 

In the company of Thailand Hennessy brand manager Chayanont Juldusitpornchai, assistant brand manager Narat Watcharapetch, actor Nattapol "Tye" Leeyawanich and Thai graffiti artist Alex Face, the press was taken to the Design Festa Gallery in Harajuku as well as to admire a graffiti piece on a wall in Shibuya. Painted in 2007, it’s a great example of the magical world Os Gemeos invite their viewers to enter.

“This piece has interesting details and colours like orange, yellow and purple that remind us of South America and Brazil. The twins are extremely proficient in using a spray nozzle to draw the small strip. Their works portray the lives of people in South America and I am constantly fascinated by the amount of detail they include in their art,” says Alex Face, the Thai street artist born Patcharapol Tangruen, who studied architecture at Bangkok’s King Mongktut Institute of Technology. 

Exploring the streets and alleys of Bangkok and finding so many abandoned buildings, he eventually started developing his street art. His best known character – a quizzical smoking baby who looks wise beyond his years – was inspired by his two-year-old child.

 The artist was blown away by the Design Festa Gallery, a truly unique art exhibition space where creative types are invited to display and sell their works. He was also quickly put to work by the gallery staff. 

“It’s an amazing place,” he enthused as he added his contribution to the wall between the east and west galleries 

“My graffiti draws on the good relations between Thais and the Japanese. It reflects how the Japanese people live quite happily in line with their social regulations.”