Almost three decades after Andy Warhol’s collaboration with Absolut in the 1980s, a new wave of wine and spirits brands is joining forces to highlight the mutual associations between taste and style while supporting artists and arts organizations.
Leading the way are two female cultural philanthropists and entrepreneurs, Rachel Verghis and Nicky Wilson, who will share how their successful alcohol brands, MarGin and X Muse, are shaking up the model and demonstrating how principled art and alcohol can work together.
The conversation will be moderated by lifestyle journalist Kate Spicer.
Please RSVP using the form below. Places are now at capacity. We will email you to confirm your attendance.
Photography will be taken at the event. Please note that by entering the event site, you agree to be filmed or photographed, which may be used for marketing or promotional purposes.
This is part of our "Fireside Chat" series - salon-style gatherings where senior cultural leaders deliver stories of personal growth, musings on future projects, and lifehacks.
Art patron, collector, single mum and entrepreneur Rachel Verghis is the founder of MarGin Gin. She began her career as a banker, working in the industry for over 15 years. In 2002, she founded VerghisArt, a platform mainly focusing on artists from the Asia-Pacific region. Verghis is also a Board Member of the Biennale of Sydney, former member of the Tate’s Asia-Pacific Acquisitions Committee, the Australian Venice Biennale International Council, the Foundation Council of the Museum of Contemporary Art Sydney, the think tank Sherman Centre for Culture and Ideas and current patron of the Serpentine Gallery in London and Opera Australia.
In 2008, Nicky Wilson co-founded Jupiter Artland, a renowned sculpture park and educational foundation in Scotland. Alongside offering free onsite learning, she developed offsite programmes aimed at revitalizing Scotland's high streets with world-class art and active learning. In 2017, she launched Jupiter Rising, an annual festival celebrating music, art, and performance, which provides a safe, celebratory space for queer artists and marginalized communities. Jupiter Artland has become a site of magical and impactful artistic experiences and X MUSE, a blended barley vodka, was born from the same curiosity and drive. Nicky is a Trustee for National Galleries Scotland and The Fruitmarket Gallery, and holds roles as deputy chair of a primary school and governor of an FTE in England.
Kate Spicer is a lifestyle journalist who has written for the Sunday Times, The Times, Daily Telegraph, Financial Times, Daily Mail, Evening Standard, Vogue, Elle, Red and Noble Rot magazines. She appeared on television in everything from Master Chef to Newsnight. She has made three acclaimed documentaries in the last ten years all of which still air internationally, including most recently Mission to Lars, described as ‘beautiful’ by the New York Times. Lost Dog: A Love Story was a Sunday Times bestseller in 2019.
