6 Minutes @ David Cox

David Cox, the Director of Fine & Rare Whiskies and brand Education has been with The Macallan since 1998. The ex Hong Kong resident returned to Hong Kong recently and brought with him a unique masterpiece design by veteran Pop Art artist Sir Peter Blake for The Macallan entitled <Eight decades of The Macallan and Sir Peter Blake>. Cox debriefed the unique and fun design box to mylifestylenews for more discovery......

In the 1930's corner, there is a black and white image of distillery workers at The Macallan. The Fire bucket representing water and fire and the dancing tin duck is a replica of one of Sir Peter’s favourite’s from his own collection. In the 1940's corner, there is a box of windproof matches, a tin damsel fly which is still very much alive on Speyside. A Small bottle with painting of the Queen Mary, one of the first pieces of art Sir Peter Blake bought as a student in the late forties. A pair of Wellington boots representing an original pair of Tom Thumb boots that Sir Peter has in his collection, and one of his favourites. In 1950's, there is a She Devil painting on the cover of book and half penny. In 1960's, there is a CD with cover of Beatles painting by Sir Peter Blake including an old advertisement created by DH and a film by Phil Sansom on the making of the Blake @ LXXX box. In 1970's, there is a teapot and roses painting, adding flowers to the bold and colourful design. In 1980's, The Robin painting is to provide some natural life where the Gnome fishing ( on the Spey!) or with harden spade. The Spey Salmon representing the fishing on the Macallan’s Easter Elchies Estate. In 1990's, The extract from book W for Whisky, the collage is a very typical of SPB's style Macallan cask representing the importance of the oak casks in the making of The Macallan. In 2000's, the Porcelain mouse representing the computer age.

Sir Peter Blake has been an old friend to The Macallan and widely considered the Godfather of British pop art.

2012 marked the 80th birthday of Sir Peter Blake, in celebrating the momentous achievement of Sir Peter, The Macallan created a unique masterpiece entitled <Eight decades of The Macallan and Sir Peter Blake>. The Macallan and Sir Peter’s collaboration can be traced back to many years ago with a unique design on the label of the first 12 bottles of The Macallan 1926 bottled back in 1986. 

The <Eight decades of The Macallan and Sir Peter Blake> is a limited edition release comprising of a handcrafted oak box divided into eight sections, each representing a decade of Sir Peter’s life and each stands apart by having a backdrop and artefact designed, inspired or chosen by Sir Peter Blake.  

Sir Peter teamed up with art director, David Holmes, designer of the earliest Macallan advertising campaign and creative force behind the brand’s most recent Royal commemorative limited edition bottlings, celebrating the marriage of William and Kate in 2012, and more recently the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. 

In each section, there is a 5cl miniature of The Macallan distilled in the corresponding decade from 1930 through to 2000’s, with labels designed by the artist himself. This colourful collection also comes with a special book of beautiful illustrations and text about The Macallan and Sir Peter.

With its clean and simple exterior, the collection comes to life upon opening.  Similar to a box of wonder, full of colours and nice surprises, it is a veritable petit treasure chest.  Stuart Newman, himself an art director, sourced all the items following Blake’s guidance, and explains that the artefacts represent the four elements of water, fire, air and earth, making direct connection to the whisky making process.

There are only 250 sets of the <Eight decades of The Macallan and Sir Peter Blake> are produced with 10 sets available in Hong Kong for sale at £5500.  Its rarity and memorability is the best collectible item for both lovers of art and whisky connoisseurs.

Sir Peter Blake is an English pop artist born in 1932 and best known for his design of the sleeve for the Beatles’ album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.  

In the late 1950s, Sir Peter became one of the best known British pop artists.  His paintings from this time included imagery from advertisements, music hall entertainment, and wrestlers, often including collaged elements.  

Sir Peter was included in group exhibitions at the Institute of Contemporary Arts and had his first solo exhibition in 1960.  It was with the 'Young Contemporaries' exhibition of 1961 where he was exhibited alongside David Hockney and R.B. Kitaj that he was first identified with the emerging British Pop Art movement.

Sir Peter became a Royal Academician in 1981, a CBE in 1983 and in 2002 Blake received a knighthood for his services to art. Retrospectives of Blake's work were held at the Tate in 1983 and Tate Liverpool in 2008.

In February 2005, the Sir Peter Blake Music Art Gallery, located in the School of Music, University of Leeds, was opened by the artist. The permanent exhibition features 20 examples of Blake's album sleeve art, including the only public showing of a signed print of his Sgt. Pepper's artwork. 

In March 2011, Blake was awarded an honorary DMus from the University of Leeds, an event also marked by the public unveiling of his artwork for the Boogie For Stualbum. On 18 July 2011, Blake was awarded an Honorary degree for Doctor of Art from Nottingham Trent

University.

Some of many others Sir Peter Blake's design art work.

David Cox sharing a more in depth details of the <Eight decades of The Macallan and Sir Peter Blake>.