Conor Harrington and Maser: "There's a real pride of tradition at Hennessy. Seeing that was very special"

Hennessy, as Conor Harrington points out, is “all about heritage, with a contemporary twist.” That’s why teaming up with fellow Irish artist Maser, and fusing their boldly contrasting styles to create the brand new Hennessy Very Special (VS) Founder’s Edition bottle, instantly made sense to the Cork-born painter.

“Our work is so different, but we complement each other,” Conor continues. “Al's (Maser) abstract and I’m figurative. He uses a lot of bright contemporary colours, and I’d use a lot more natural colours. So both of us together really reflect that Hennessy ethos – the heritage, and the contemporary element. It’s a brand that’s been around for centuries, but it also has this huge place in contemporary culture, and urban culture, internationally.”

The resulting artwork and bottle design is a vibrant blend of ‘then’ and ‘now’ – saluting Hennessy’s founder, Richard Hennessy, who hails from Killavullen in Co. Cork, on the 300th anniversary of his birth. As Irishmen – and especially for Conor, as a fellow Corkonian – celebrating Richard’s legacy felt particularly special.

“I knew about that history, because I actually went to Cognac as a kid on holidays,” Conor reveals. “I was about 10. We were in La Rochelle, and my dad drove us to Cognac for the day, just to have a look around. I remember my dad making a big deal out of the fact that ‘this guy is from Cork!’

“That’s always been in the back of my mind ever since,” he adds. “The thought that this name – which has been referenced a million times in hip-hop – was a Cork person. It’s mad.”

Over the course of a remarkable career, Maser has worked with prestigious institutions around the world, as well as leading Irish musicians like Damien Dempsey and U2. He’s also renowned for his political advocacy in art – with his Repeal mural outside Dublin's Project Arts Centre becoming one of the central symbols of the campaign.

Conor, meanwhile, has exhibited his large-scale oil paintings extensively across the globe. His work can be found in the collections of some of the biggest names in the art world – as well as celebrities like Alicia Keys and Elton John.

Both Conor and Maser originally emerged on the graffiti scene, and have worked together on murals in the past – from a gate in London, to a massive wall in Arkansas. Their Founder’s Edition bottle also took them overseas, to Cognac in France, to gain invaluable insights into the world of Hennessy.

“It was a really intense few days,” Conor recalls. “They walked us through the entire process, from when they pick the grapes, to when it’s packaged. It was a lot to take in, but it really helped our creative process, just to be immersed in the culture there.

“Because it’s such a huge brand, you tend to think things are a bit more impersonal,” he continues. “But there’s a real pride of tradition at Hennessy. Seeing that was very special.”

That trip served as the central inspiration behind their approach to the artwork – which was ultimately created on a massive six-foot-by-ten-foot canvas in Conor’s studio in London.

“I’d come in with spraypaint, paint for a day, and then it would be dry the next day for Conor to work on with his oils,” Maser explains. “I’d let him work on it for a few weeks, and then when it was dry enough, I’d fly over to London again.”

As an Irishman who’s been living in London for 20 years, Conor says he wanted to bring in the theme of emigration into his portrayal of Hennessy's founder – with Richard “striding forward confidently” into his new life in France, while “at the same time glancing around and over his shoulder, always with an eye on his roots and where he has come from.”

“Al has lived in both London and the US, so we both have that Irish experience of leaving, and we wanted to get that sense of journey into it,” Conor remarks. “I also felt a certain bit of pressure, having to decide what Richard Hennessy looks like! I didn’t want to do anything too specific, so we kept it quite simple. He’s standing, but there’s still a lot of movement there.”

Maser and Conor were also honoured to join a prestigious selection of international artists who have collaborated with Hennessy on a limited edition bottle – including heavy-hitters like KAWS, Shepard Fairey, Futura, Felipe Pantone, JonOne and Vhils.

“In our little ‘post-graffiti’ art world – people who’ve come from graffiti, street art and contemporary murals, and then into gallery settings – this is a great rite of passage,” Maser notes. “Some great artists and friends have done these artist edition bottles, so to be asked to do it is huge. And as two Irish artists, it’s just massive...”

Supporting avant-garde art has been a long-standing tradition of Hennessy, with the brand carrying on that legacy today with creative collaborations in contemporary street culture. In Ireland, both Conor and Maser are particularly inspired to see Hennessy supporting the thriving music, art and fashion scenes that have emerged here – including collaborations with streetwear brand Emporium, rap duo Travis Elzzz, and Dublin Block Party, presented by Maser’s Atelier Now gallery and studio.

“Hennessy aligns itself with things that it believes in, which is cool to see,” Maser reflects. “And something like this does trickle down to other artists – to see that there’s opportunities out there, and belief in our abilities.”

The Hennessy Founder’s Edition (RSP €41) is available nationwide now.