During Art Basel Miami Beach, Casa Dragones celebrated its fifth year as an official partner with bars designed by Gloria Cortina and Tatiana Bilbao. The program also featured Art-Tender™ Sessions with artists such as José Dávila and Gonzalo Lebrija.

 

Art Basel Miami Beach once again became the meeting point for collectors, artists, and curators from around the world—and, for the fifth consecutive year, Casa Dragones served as the official tequila of the fair, bringing its vision of contemporary luxury and Mexican craftsmanship to the center of the international art circuit.

 

From December 3 to 7, the brand founded by Bertha González Nieves presented a program that seamlessly combined design, hospitality, collaboration, and a refined visual narrative. At the VIP Collectors Lounge, guests encountered the Obsidian Bar, designed by Gloria Cortina—a sculptural piece in obsidian and steel where all of the house’s expressions were served. Suspended above the bar, a chandelier composed of 350 bottles—created by Tatiana Bilbao—became one of the week’s defining visual icons.

 

González Nieves described this collaboration as an organic extension of Casa Dragones’ DNA: “The creative process does not belong to a single industry—it is absolute freedom… Working with artists inspires and challenges us.” She added a sentiment that resonated throughout the fair: “Mexican culture is at our core. Everything we do represents Mexico. Anyone who experiences our product tastes the Mexico we carry in our hearts.”

 

Art-Tender™ Sessions: When Artists Take the Bar

As has become tradition, the Art-Tender™ Sessions brought together leading figures in contemporary art who, for two hours each afternoon, stepped behind the bar to create cocktails inspired by their work. In 2025, participants included Tavares Strachan, Sarah Morris, Lindsay Adams, and two of today’s most celebrated Mexican artists: José Dávila and Gonzalo Lebrija.

 

Lebrija’s participation was among the most talked-about. In his interview, he shared how he accepted the invitation: “I’ve known Bertha for many years. We were at an exhibition, and she said, ‘Gonzalo, you have to make a cocktail.’ And I said, sure—let’s do it.”

 

For Art Basel, he created the Dirty Lebrija’s Ranch, prepared with 200 Copas by Casa Dragones, berries, mint, and agave nectar: “I wanted something fresh, fun… something that looked ‘dirty,’ but in a beautiful way. I liked that idea of imperfection.”

 

Speaking about the new cristalino tequila—developed in collaboration with Karol G—he was emphatic: “It’s the only cristalino I’ve truly liked. It’s not sweet—it’s serious, elegant. It really surprised me.” He also reflected on the connection between art and hospitality: “I like it when art comes down to earth. Making a cocktail is a simple, immediate gesture… but it’s about sharing, about being present. That’s also art.”

 

José Dávila, for his part, created a reinterpretation of the margarita: “It’s a drink that goes beyond the obvious… with pear, blanco tequila, lime, and Chartreuse. It turned out really good, honestly.” For him, the session offered a moment of respite from the fast-paced rhythm of the fair: “Tequila is from Jalisco, I’m from Guadalajara—so taking part felt natural. It was fun, a chance not to take everything so seriously.”

 

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