Scottish Whisky Distiller Features British Collage Artist

Down to Work by Peter Blake from the “Down to Work Limited Edition in The Macallan Anecdotes of Ages Collection”. Photograph by Mary McCartney. Courtesy of the artist and The Macallan Distillers Limited.

FROM KOLAJ 32

Peter Blake Collage on Macallan Whisky Bottles

Founded in 1824, Scottish whisky distiller The Macallan has a rich history. To celebrate their legacy, they engaged British pop artist, Sir Peter Blake to make “The Anecdotes of Ages Collection”, “a limited-release whisky and art collection.” The company writes, “Each of the thirteen original Anecdotes of Ages bottles is hand-blown with an oak stopper, and features a label signed by Sir Peter Blake.”

This News & Notes item appears in Kolaj 32To see the complete issue, SUBSCRIBE to Kolaj Magazine or Get a Copy of the Issue.

The Macallen Mausoleum by Peter Blake from the “The Macallan Anecdotes of Ages Collection”. Courtesy of the artist and The Macallan Distillers Limited.

One collage, The Macallan Mausoleum, shows two jackrabbits boxing as a lone bagpiper walks towards a stone building. Down to Work shows an assortment of distillery workers in a style reminiscent of the sleeve for The Beatles’ album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, which Blake co-designed with Jann Haworth. Blake is no stranger to commercial collaboration having worked on covers for, among others, The Who, Oasis, and Eric Clapton; the cover of the Band Aid single “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”; and the Live Aid concert poster. In addition to the limited edition bottles, The Macallan has created an extensive virtual exhibition that takes the viewer from Blake’s studio to Macallan’s Speyside distillery in a way that celebrates both whisky and collage.

A New Era of Advertising by Peter Blake from the “A New Era of Advertising Limited Edition in The Macallan Anecdotes of Ages Collection”. Photograph by Mary McCartney. Courtesy of the artist and The Macallan Distillers Limited.

This News & Notes item appears in Kolaj 32To see the complete issue, SUBSCRIBE to Kolaj Magazine or Get a Copy of the Issue.

English Pop artist Peter Blake attended the Gravesend Technical College School of Art and the Royal College of Art. Among the works Blake is best known for are Self Portrait with Badges (1961), for which Blake received the John Moores junior award. On the Balcony (1955-1957), a collage painting, and The First Real Target (1961) are in the permanent collection of The Tate. Blake was knighted in 2002 at Buckingham Palace for his services to art. Learn more on Wikipedia and at the Tate’s website HERE.