A UNIQUE artistic initiative that brings a ‘Never Stop Never Settle’ spirit of the brand to local communities through basketball and art in Dar es Salaam.
The programme is part of a global series of artistic collaborations based around basketball in the community, with the first initiative having launched in Montreal, Canada in 2021 To celebrate these values, Hennessy has collaborated with local visual artist, John Joseph Odul, popularly known by the moniker ‘Payton’ to revitalise the iconic Spiders Basketball court in a meaningful graphic way.
The collaboration demonstrates Hennessy’s long-standing commitment towards supporting talented artists who embody the brand’s ethos, continuing a decade of meaningful artistic collaborations.
“In The Paint is part of a global series of artistic collaborations based around basketball in the community, with the first initiative having launched in Montreal, Canada in 2021,” says Janet Mwalilino, Market Manager Tanzania said at a launching ceremony in Dar es Salaam.
“We’re excited to announce this first instalment here in Dar es Salaam. Basketball has great potential locally and we are looking forward to celebrating the spirit of the game together with the community.” Blending urban culture and cognac, the court design draws inspiration from the diverse, indigenous craft techniques of the East of Africa whilst also celebrating the vibrancy and talent of its people.
Featuring a sun at its centre, the warmth of the continent is depicted alongside ripple patterns to mimic the flow of the Charente River in Cognac, which played an integral role in the historical success of the brand.
In the court design, John makes use of the iconic “Bras Armé” symbol that is synonymous with Hennessy, but subtly redesigned to integrate the NBA collaboration with basketball in hand.
The robust colours showcased throughout the design represent the energy of both the game and more importantly Africa, and the creative beat of the African people, while the cool tones draw inspiration from rare Tanzanite gemstone and the coastal city of Dar es Salaam, home to the revamped court.
“It’s a beautiful ode to Tanzania,” said John. “For me, it was important to incorporate and pay tribute to contemporary African art inspired by our Tanzanian community, the rare Tanzanite gemstone and the waters of our beautiful coastal country.
I’m honoured to have collaborated with Hennessy on this project to create a space where people can enjoy themselves together as a community.
