The Balvenie has teamed with artist Daniel Arsham for The Dawn of Our Spirit. In partnership with The Balvenie’s Malt Master Kelsey McKechnie, Arsham will conceive of an artistic program that will honor a forthcoming Limited-Edition Collection.
The collaboration will highlight the spirit of The Balvenie through its Five Rare Crafts: the barley, its cooperage, malting floor, copper stills and the intuitive role of the malt master. McKechnie and Arsham will curate a series of sensorial and immersive experiences celebrating this artistry across Asia and the United States. Audiences will uncover a significant hand-crafted whisky Collection which includes an ultra-rare release and collectible limited editions, each embodying the Five Rare Crafts, and each artistically interpreted by Arsham.
McKechnie and Arsham will embark on a journey, discovering the artistry and influences embedded within each of their respective practices. The Balvenie’s current Home Floor Maltings, which began operation circa 1931 and remains largely unchanged to this day, becomes a central theme of exploration.
Arsham’s work is a combination of art, architecture and performance. Through an exploration of the passage of time, he intersects the spirits industry with his distinctive form.
“The Balvenie’s approach remains the same today as it always has been; it is a story of artistry, innovation and human endeavour,” said Kelsey McKechnie, Malt Master, The Balvenie. “Our collaboration with Daniel Arsham has become a creative dialogue exploring the enduring character of our spirit, formed by our consistent approach across multiple generations. We look forward to unveiling our collaboration to the world, later this year.”
“Learning of The Balvenie’s time-honoured skills and its dedication to the most traditional methods of making whisky is inspiring,” Artist Daniel Arsham added. “Our collaboration is rooted in a shared respect for both process and time.”
