Two Hand Painted Johnnie Walker® Bottles Goes Under the Hammer to Raise Fund for the Creative Tourism Communities
The tourism sector was amongst the first industries to be affected by the global pandemic. Many sub-communities such as the creative sectors in the tourism industry like musicians, artists, and performers - just to name a few - lost their incomes and livelihoods since the worldwide lockdown.
Bastion of goodwill, local non-governmental organization (NGO) Kopernik has been on the ground since day one with their COVID-19 Response Project to provide livelihood support to the communities affected by the unprecedented circumstance in Indonesia. Kopernik is a Bali-based NGO founded in 2010 by Toshi Nakamura and Ewa Wojkowska to find what works to reduce poverty by experimenting with potential solutions that address common challenges facing people living in the last mile, and at the same time bridging the technology gap to these communities.
Igniting Johnnie Walker®‘s long-standing collaborative culture with 200 years of legacy in challenging conventions and an icon synonymous to transcend boundaries, the Scotch whisky brand is holding a digital auction with all proceeds going to Kopernik in providing livelihood support to the creative tourism communities in Indonesia. Johnnie Walker® will auction two very rare, hand-painted bottles of Johnnie Walker® Black Label and Johnnie Walker® Gold Label by Indonesian urban artist and illustrator Hardthirteen.
“The creative industry has been hit severely during these times. Many have lost their livelihoods, not able to provide for their families and fulfill their financial commitments. Kopernik always welcomes collaborations such as these, to find creative ideas to raise funds for, and support those in need. We invite active participation across Indonesia to support local communities that have been deeply affected by the impacts of the pandemic. We believe that finding effective solutions can only be achieved through collective effort,” said Ewa Wojkowska, co-founder of Kopernik.
Harnessing art, digital technology and Johnnie Walker®’s collaborative culture, the Scotch whisky brand collaborates with Hardthirteen to illustrate The Walkers - the whisky brand’s celebration of its reflecting values in others. The collaboration unveils artwork exclusively designed by Hardthirteen for Johnnie Walker®,illustrating the brand’s deep-rooted spirit of pushing the boundaries through the artist’s imagination.
At the heart of it all are exclusive collectibles where Hardthirteen’s art is adapted on 120 Johnnie Walker® Black Label andJohnnie Walker® Gold Label; eight merchandise including caps and t-shirts that was launched in late 2021; and the latest star of the show, only two in the world whisky bottles that are hand-painted with luminous paint. The glow in the dark paint was chosen to deliver a message of hope and ignite the brand’s spirit.
These rare bottles are the first whisky bottles that are hand-painted with glow in the dark paint by an Indonesian artist. His latest work utilizes a unique technique to refine each detail to perfection took one week to complete. The luminous paint was chosen to deliver a message of hope and ignite the brand’s spirit, to keep walking even in the darkest of times.
The artwork reveals the artist’s vivid and colorful interpretation of celebrating one’s triumph over life challenges. It illustrates birds breaking away from a broken cage, set against a globe that represents the diverse world we live in today. Just like birds that have to flap their wings to fly; one has to go through a formidable rite of passage into the unknown to reach their goals and nothing comes easy in life but the sky is the limit. While the grids are a reminder that although we are many parts ourselves as individuals, only by coming together can we make collective progress.
The auction will be held virtually from 3 to 6 February 2022 at Kick Avenue, a local e-commerce store that sells various fashion products through its Instagram account @kick.avenue. Bidders or anyone who wants to participate may join this auction by commenting on Kick Avenue’s post on 3 February. The bid will open at IDR 2,000,000 for Johnnie Walker® Black Label and IDR 3,000,000 for Johnnie Walker® Gold Label with IDR 250,0000 thereafter in multiples. The auction results will be announced on 7 February on the same platform.
#BeTheWalkers and step into a new frontier, to support local craft towards the greater good. Like The Walkers, ignite the spirit of pushing the boundaries in you.
Keep walking, Indonesia.