Ruinart enlists Tadashi Kawamata for 2026 Conversations with Nature series
Maison Ruinart has named Japanese artist Tadashi Kawamata as the next collaborator in its Conversations with Nature programme for 2026. The partnership will include three permanent in situ works at 4 rue des Crayères in Reims, alongside a 22-piece limited edition Ruinart Blanc de Blancs jeroboam case.
Maison Ruinart will continue its Conversations with Nature series in 2026 with Japanese artist Tadashi Kawamata, best known for large-scale in situ installations constructed from simple, often reused materials such as planks, chairs and barrels.
The Champagne house said Kawamata’s works will invite visitors to observe what it describes as the “vibrations of nature essential to the harmony of Champagne”, with installations designed to engage directly with wind, water and light.
“We constantly seek to understand nature better, so we can respect it and highlight the need for harmony with other living things,” said Frédéric Dufour, president, Maison Ruinart.
Three in situ works planned for 4 rue des Crayères
Kawamata’s collaboration with Ruinart will include three in situ installations at 4 rue des Crayères, the producer’s emblematic address in the Champagne region.
The works are titled Tree Hut, Nest and Observatory and are intended to form a coherent whole that connects art, Champagne savoir faire and local terroir while encouraging visitors to reflect on climate and biodiversity.
The Observatory, positioned above the Maison’s crayères, will be a 6 metre structure topped with a viewing platform offering views of the surrounding winegrowing and forest ecosystems, including plants and trees introduced during the renovation of the grounds.
Nest will be installed against a building façade and is intended to evoke local wildlife such as birds, ladybirds and bats, linking biodiversity in the vineyard with the chalk cellars where bottles are aged.
Tree Hut will be perched in a tree and will explore the idea of temporary shelter, inviting visitors to experience the natural ecosystem through different senses.
Art fair presence confirmed, including Art Basel, Frieze and TEFAF
Alongside the permanent works in Reims, Ruinart said Kawamata’s creative universe will be presented throughout the year at contemporary art fairs with which the house has partnered, including Art Basel, Frieze and TEFAF.
Models, miniature sculptures, collages and recent Site Sketches will be displayed at partner fairs, with additional in situ installations planned at selected events.
A 22-piece limited edition jeroboam case
As part of the collaboration, Kawamata has created a limited edition case comprising 22 pieces for a Ruinart Blanc de Blancs jeroboam.
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Ruinart said the wooden case is conceived as a miniature exploration of the artist’s work on shelters, intended to reflect on scale and the fragility of biodiversity.
The artist designed a wooden envelope with one corner hollowed out, then reshaped the removed piece into a tiny nest placed inside the case.
“I wanted to create a tiny nest inside a champagne case. One corner has been cut out, hollowed and transformed into a miniature shelter. It is a metaphor: even in a luxury item, there is fragility, poetry and craftsmanship, as well as an opening. Nothing is static or fixed,” said Tadashi Kawamata.
Each jeroboam also features a handwritten silkscreen label by the artist.
An artist shaped by impermanence and reclaimed materials
Born in 1953 in Hokkaidō, Japan, Kawamata lives and works in Tokyo and Paris. His practice sits at the intersection of art, architecture and design, exploring the environmental impact of reusing materials and the impermanence of built structures under natural forces.
He is represented in France by Mennour, Paris and has exhibited internationally, including at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Serpentine Gallery in London and MACBA in Barcelona. He has also taken part in the Venice Biennale as well as Documenta VIII and IX.
In the press kit, Kawamata describes a preference for suggestion over instruction when it comes to environmental questions.
“Yes, but not by moralising or lecturing. Art can create emotion and attention. If an artwork makes you look up at a tree or listen to the wind, that is already a big step. I prefer poetry to pedagogy,” he said.
Climate focus aligns with Ruinart viticulture priorities
Maison Ruinart said its teams have been observing the effects of climate change for several decades, monitoring soil, water reserves, nighttime temperatures and drought index to understand shifts in plant cycles and the aromatic expression of Chardonnay.
“Climate change is a challenge for winegrowers. For Maison Ruinart, it is also an opportunity to deepen our understanding and adapt practices to continue highlighting the singularity of the Champagne terroir,” said Caroline Fiot, cellar master, Maison Ruinart.
The house described this approach as one that blends hands-on experience with scientific precision, with winemakers and wine growers working together to preserve Ruinart’s signature taste while anticipating future evolutions
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