On May 14, 2014 The Davidoff Art Initiative unveiled the first Davidoff Limited Art Edition cigar boxes, featuring original commissioned artwork by the critically acclaimed Caribbean artist Quisqueya Henríquez. Two limited edition cigar boxes, each one manufactured in a quantity of 3,000 and stocked with custom-made cigars developed exclusively for the limited art edition, were presented at Davidoff’s Lounge in the Collectors Lounge at the Art Basel show in Hong Kong.
Quisqueya Henríquez was, in addition, invited to create a highly limited run of fifty Collectors Editions, which include the special edition box of cigars as well as an original artist’s print from the series of images developed for the project. Each artwork is unique and can be selected by the customer at the time of purchase.
DAI Limited Art Edition Cigar Boxes.
The compositions created by Henríquez for the Davidoff Limited Art Edition and the Collectors Editions call to mind the intricate handcraft of cigar making and evoke the multiple phases involved in the tradition of cigar manufacture. The richly colored images obtained from the layering of multiple photographs of tobacco leaves, create a composition that, while abstract, hints at the source materials involved in its creation.
“I have always had in mind to work with images that illustrate time and the many different steps involved in the tradition of cigar making,” said Quisqueya Henríquez, who was born in Cuba and now resides in the Dominican Republic. The finely layered images, inspired by the artist’s multiple visits to tobacco fields in the Dominican Republic, both capture the time-consuming process of cigar making and references the artist’s native Caribbean culture. One of the most persistent images throughout her prints is the image of the tobacco leaf, especially the complexity of its natural design. Quisqueya Henríquez also used the Rorschach technique to create a visual field of depth and establish an interactive relationship with the cigar and her pattern designs. Each work in the edition is composed of three or more superimposed photographic impressions of tobacco leaves. Each layer has a slightly different hue, and each allows for a degree of transparency. Although color manipulation is quite prevalent in some works, the natural color and texture of the tobacco leaf can still be apprehended in the abstract compositions. The final pattern is based on the use of metallic colors inspired by the cigar’s relationship with luxury and beauty. Each design includes its corresponding cigar band and glassine.
Click here to view the embedded video.
“When we approached Ms. Henríquez to do a work for our inaugural edition, we did not ask her to take up the subject of tobacco or cigars directly. So it was all the more gratifying that she asked to visit our tobacco fields in Santiago and spend time there observing our crops and the work methods of our cigar rollers,” said Hans-Kristian Hoejsgaard, Chief Executive Officer Oettinger Davidoff AG. “The works that have resulted from her experiments with photography and the manipulation of tobacco leaves are breathtakingly beautiful, and they also say something profound about the history and culture of the Caribbean.”
As Associate Partner of Art Basel for the second consecutive year, Davidoff operates a VIP hospitality lounge in the Collectors Lounge. Collectors and cigar aficionados can find the Davidoff Limited Art Edition cigar boxes and the Collectors Editions for the first time in the Davidoff Lounge in the Collectors Lounge at the Hong Kong show.
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.
Quisqueya Henríquez at work in her studio, Santo Domingo. Photo by Mariano Hernandez.
About 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.
About The Davidoff Limited Art Edition Cigar
The Davidoff Limited Art Edition Cigar (5 15/16 inches; 54 RG) has a generous ring gauge, true to its name and underlining the interaction between craftsmanship and creativity. The innovative tobacco creation, in the popular Perfecto format, gleams in a Yamasá wrapper, which gives it a unique color, an oily appearance and intense aromas. The complex flavor of the “Davidoff Limited Art Edition” cigar begins with an enjoyable sweetness and develops a smooth creaminess. This is followed by hints of peppery notes and floral nuances. A slightly higher percentage of Piloto tobacco gives it a bolder, fuller aroma and accentuates this refined and intense blend. The second ring of the cigar created by the artist wraps around the Yamasá wrapper and is the special trademark of this exceptional series. During the entire smoking time the cigar keeps delivering growing excitement and balance.
DAI Limited Art Edition, designed by Quisqueya Henriquez.
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.
About Art Basel
Art Basel stages the world’s premier art shows for Modern and contemporary works, sited in Basel, Miami Beach and Hong Kong. Defined by its host city and region, each show is unique, which is reflected in its participating galleries, artworks presented, and the content of parallel programming produced in collaboration with local institutions for each edition. In addition to ambitious stands featuring leading galleries from around the world, each show’s exhibition sectors spotlight the latest developments in the visual arts, offering visitors new ideas, new inspiration and new contacts in the art world.
DAI Limited Art Edition, designed by Quisqueya Henriquez.
A Century of Davidoff
Henri Davidoff, who emigrated from Kiev to Switzerland at a time of political unrest, opened his first store in Geneva in 1911, laying the foundations for today’s worldwide network of 65 Davidoff Flagship Stores. Henri’s son, Zino Davidoff, learned the trade from the ground up. He resided for several years in Central and South America to deepen his knowledge. In 1930, he returned to Switzerland and thereafter successfully managed the business over four decades. Zino Davidoff transferred the family business to the Oettinger Group in 1970.
Davidoff appeals to connoisseurs all over the world who seek to embrace the art of living and pleasure. The premium brand Davidoff stands for a culture of conscious enjoyment and reflection in today’s hectic world. Davidoff learned over the years that time is the ultimate luxury. Zino’s pleasure in this was the starting point for the global brand of Davidoff, a brand that connects people all around the world. A brand that fills the unforgettable moments in life with the joy and pleasure of elegance and beauty – “Time Beautifully Filled.”
Oettinger Davidoff AG – A Swiss Family Business Steeped in Tradition
With over 3’500 employees around the world, the CHF 1.23 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.