Fhatuwani Mukheli and friends of Courvoisier make joyful art
On Friday the 11th of November, at Courvoisier’s Salon De La Maison event at The View Boutique Hotel in Johannesburg, visual artist Fhatuwani Mukheli and guests spent an evening creating four crowd-sourced art pieces that will be auctioned, with the proceeds going to charity.
The event took place on a tempestuous evening, which added to the drama and creative spontaneity of the main task – each guest was invited to add their brushstrokes to four incomplete works on canvas.
The Art of Joie De Vivre
Fhatuwani began the pieces with renderings of faces and then intentionally left space and encouraged guests to translate the feeling of joy onto the collaborative paintings. Fhatuwani says, “My art is inspired by the people around me and this is reflected in almost all of my pieces. Being at the Courvoisier Salon De La Maison event on a stormy evening, amongst sophisticated guests, every individual collaborating on four art pieces, savouring beautiful food and Courvoisier liquid in a setting of flowers in bloom had all the ingredients for celebrating joie de vivre – the joy of living.”
Courvoisier – Celebrating the Liquid Intrinsic
The occasion celebrated art as well as the heritage of Courvoisier with a section of the venue revealing an exhibition showcasing the liquid, the evolution of the logo and founder Felix Courvoisier’s history. While some of the guests clinked cocktail glasses and mingled in the lounge, others were taking selfies on the Courvoisier swing. Laughter and animated chatter could be heard from the cocktail-making class happening close to the bar. Everywhere guests swooned over the joyful décor and summer blossoms.
After guests had the opportunity to explore, chat and savour the moments, they were ushered into a glass marquee where a long dinner table awaited. Decorated with fresh flowers and overlooking swathes of manicured lawns and gardens, the dinner table hinted at the exquisite meal that was about to be served. The dinner was sophisticated yet palatable and delicious, with foods that paired perfectly with Courvoisier’s signature cocktails – The Gala, The French Twist and We Found Joy.
Salon De La Maison offered guests the opportunity to taste Courvoisier and savour the liquid’s award-winning signature floral style. Offering a taste of refined history in each sip, the range of Courvoisier expressions has been expertly distilled, matured and blended in the Maison’s flair, revealing intricate nuances influenced by the life and joy of the cognac region and its people. A rich palette of citrus, precise distillation and signature oak selection come together to offer an exquisitely balanced and vibrant range that includes VS, VSOP and XO.
A cognac that transcends the category, Courvoisier lends itself to savouring joie de vivre with sessionable, slow-drinking cocktails such as The Gala and The French Twist.
The Gala
Ingredients
50ml Courvoisier VS or VSOP
50ml Grapefruit Juice
Top off with Indian Tonic Water
(Alternatively, replace Grapefruit Juice and the tonic with your favourite citrus flavoured tonic.)
Method
Build all ingredients over ice and garnish with citrus.
The French Twist
Ingredients
50ml Courvoisier® VSOP
15ml Orange Curacao or quality Triple sec 22ml Sirop de Gomme (or honey)
15 ml Fresh Lemon Juice
89 ml Soda Water
Method
Build all ingredients into a tin, except soda. Add one hand cracked 1×1 ice cube and shake until melted. Pour into a glass 1/2 full of cobble or crushed ice, add the soda water, then pack in extra ice and garnish with fruit.
