Frieze New York 2023: Artist Eva Jospin’s “Promenade(s)” at Ruinart’s Maison 1729 Pop-Up
An immersive exhibition accompanying a partnership with The High Line and the debut of the milestone Blanc Singulier cuvée
Frieze New York 2023 was no ordinary occasion for its official champagne partner, Ruinart. In addition to a celebratory presence on the 8th floor of The Shed, Frieze’s venue since 2021, the effervescent luxury brand also developed Maison 1729, an ancillary pop-up gallery—open to the public 19 May to 8 June—that’s hosting Promenade(s), an immersive exhibition of work by French artist Eva Jospin. Ruinart’s 2023 Carte Blanche artist-in-residence, Jospin sculpts mystical wonderlands and slivers of woodland from cardboard. She joins Ruinart’s roster of illustrious artistic collaborators ranging from Jaume Plensa to David Shrigley and Sarah Meyohas with Reese Donohue.
“I started by visiting the vineyards. The first time I went to the vineyards, I had no idea that it would be for a project like this. I knew it would be a project with Ruinart, but it wasn’t specific,” Jospin tells COOL HUNTING. Soon after, Ruinart invited Jospin to be the next participant in their Carte Blanche program. To formulate her concept, she visited the vineyards four or five more times to observe the specific moments of its life cycle.
Ultimately, for Promenade(s), Jospin composed architectural sculptures of imagined worlds as well as embroidered works, scroll-like drawings and layered forest-scapes. Everything references the Champagne region, its history, the natural richness of the soil or the strength of roots and vines. Together, these works transport attendees not just to Reims, where Ruinart is headquartered, but to Jospin’s specific vision of it.
Jospin’s creative process varied per work. “It’s very different if it’s a mini-world, because those are pieces of micro-architecture,” she says. “You have to understand where the stairs start and where they go. It’s built layer on top of layer. Once the general shape is assembled, I will then start to sculpt parts away.” Jospin plots out unexpected lines of color in the assembling of these worlds. After they’ve been sculpted, she incorporates metal accents (sometimes in humorous ways) and surprising finishing touches.
For her landscapes, Jospin begins with the base and the background and then works to populate the branches. “I will look at real trees but I will never copy them,” she says. “I want to convey the feeling of nature. For me, this is the difference between land and an artist’s landscape. Land is territory; land is the vineyards. Landscape is the representation of nature. It’s the art. If we see a landscape, it’s because an artist has chosen to represent it.” As with her architectural sculptures, Jospin’s layered landscapes are as much drawn from her imagination as they are a vessel for real-life inspirations.
The cardboard, a material many might dismiss as commonplace, contributes so much more than visual texture; it adds meaning. Its layers act like soil strata; its structure even gives the sensation of piled stones. But, Jospin explains, “It’s incredible for sculpture because it’s probably the only material that contains its own shadow—and sculpture is light and shadow. This affects why we see what we see. When you have a material that has its own shadow within, if you cut it you reveal all those little holes and so much more.”
If Jospin had her wish as an artist, it would be that people knew less about the mechanisms behind her work and took more time to pause and consider the nuance to each piece. “We live in a moment where people ask a lot of questions about art. We as artists have to explain a lot,” she says. “My work is very visual and it’s easy to get into. The idea is for you to step into each world.” An innate ability to transfix unites all pieces—and, in fact, invites viewers to explore what they see.
In addition to the works featured in Promenade(s), Jospin also designed a case for a limited edition Jeroboam of Ruinart Blanc de Blancs. During Frieze, the maison also launched a partnership with the The High Line, NYC’s freight-line-turned-public-park—and released a milestone new cuvée crafted in response to the changing vineyard conditions brought on by climate change, Blanc Singulier. It will be a permanent addition to the Ruinart portfolio, albeit in unique annual editions that represent the climate of a particular year.
Hero image by Joseph Jabbour
