Maison Ruinart announces the return of the Ruinart Art Lounge to Art SG 2025, offering art enthusiasts an inspiring convergence of art, nature, and champagne. From 17th to 19th January, 2025, visitors to Southeast Asia’s largest art fair can immerse themselves in Marcus Coates "Conversations with Nature,” part of Ruinart’s ongoing Carte Blanche series.

Marcus Coates and the “Nature Calendar”

Marcus Coates, one of six visionaries featured in Ruinart’s Carte Blanche series, is renowned for his ability to explore the imaginary and symbolic relationships between humans and the natural world through diverse media, including painting, photography, sculpture, and sound installations. His work frequently establishes empathetic links between individuals and species, inviting audiences to reflect on their connection to the living world.

Coates is best known for his performative films depicting encounters with imagined animals, blending creativity with profound ecological insight. At Maison Ruinart’s historic Taissy vineyard, he created an ephemeral calendar that chronicles daily natural events, such as flowering plants, migrating birds, and insect life cycles. This calendar takes the form of flags, each hoisted daily with a short phrase celebrating “invisible news” from the ecosystem. These messages, which pay tribute to the non-human and "more-than-human" world (a concept championed by David Abrams), underscore Ruinart’s dedication to biodiversity and sustainability. A compilation of these messages will be published as a limited-edition book.

"Talking to nature is good, but listening is better. A lot of my work is a conversation with nature, not necessarily talking with, but more noticing, listening and watching, to try to understand and become aware of the needs and perspectives of other species. " -Coates.

Considered one of the foremost contemporary artists focusing on art and nature, Marcus Coates has earned international acclaim. In March 2022, he was invited by the École des Beaux-Arts de Paris to discuss his work. His exhibitions include Aux frontières de l’humanité (Musée de l’Homme, Paris, 2021), The World is in You (Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Copenhagen, 2021), and Joseph Beuys and the Shamans (Museum Schloss Moyland, Bedburg-Hau, Germany, 2021).

In 2016, his monograph was published by Editions Koenig, further cementing his reputation as a leading figure in contemporary art and ecological discourse.

Ruinart’s Heritage and Commitment to Nature

Showcased for the first time in an art fair since the transformation of Ruinart’s historic site, the 4 RUE DES CRAYÈRES Corner will offer visitors a glimpse of Ruinart’s emblematic address and the eventual home of all Carte Blanche artworks through a series of images depicting works that can be discovered at the open-to-public artspace.

Through this immersive experience, Ruinart not only celebrates artistic expression but also reinforces its long-standing commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility – making it an essential spot at Art SG for those who share an appreciation for art and exceptional champagne.

For nearly 300 years, Maison Ruinart has fostered a profound connection with nature, exemplified through its Carte Blanche 2024 initiative. By observing, listening to, and understanding the natural world, the oldest champagne house transforms its harvests into exceptional cuvées. At the heart of this process lies ancestral craftsmanship that honors ecological balance, ensuring each bottle reflects the cycles of the earth, water, and light. Every bubble captures a fragment of the ever-renewing rhythm of the seasons.

"For us, it is about considering nature and all living things as a subject to converse with rather than a subject of conversation. And giving a voice to the fauna and flora that surround us." -Frederic Panaiotis, Cellar Master at Ruinart.

This deep relationship with nature inspires Maison Ruinart to spearhead a collective movement, engaging artists with strong convictions to explore the interplay between humanity and the natural world. At a time when climate upheaval demands urgent attention, Ruinart sends a powerful message about the importance of preserving our planet’s ecological equilibrium.

Unveiled at major art fairs across London, Los Angeles, Basel, Brussels, and Hong Kong, Marcus Coates’ works represent Ruinart’s global effort to spotlight environmental challenges through art. The Carte Blanche artworks, created by artists from five continents, connect audiences to the fragility and beauty of our planet while serving as a call to action during the Anthropocene era.

The Ruinart Art Lounge will be open to the public at Art SG 2025 from January 17 to 19 at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore. Tickets for the exhibition are available for purchase here.

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team