(April 15, 2024) - Tequila Casa Dragones, known for its small batch ultra-premium sipping tequila, introduces an artist-edition bottle in collaboration with visual artist Petrit Halilaj. A contemporary artist who has exhibited internationally, Halilaj has garnered critical acclaim for the thought-provoking nature of his art. This special edition bottle, titled They Are Lucky to Be Bourgeois Hens, features original artwork by Halilaj on a crystal decanter of Casa Dragones Joven. Casa Dragons Joven is the first product the company debuted in 2009, as the world’s first sipping tequila, a master blend of 100% Blue Agave silver and extra-aged tequila. The collaboration highlights the company’s deep-rooted commitment to celebrating contemporary art and design.
 
Halilaj's art is deeply rooted in the recent history of his native Kosovo and the political turmoil brought about by the wars of his youth in the 1980s and 90s. His work explores themes of identity, memory, displacement, and the interplay between nature and culture. In this collaboration, Halilaj returns to a recurring motif in his art: chickens, which he refers to as 'bourgeois hens,' playing various roles. These hens symbolize nature in art and can be interpreted as a metaphor for his artistic evolution from a village background to a more sophisticated, 'bourgeois' artist. They also signify a shift in his art towards a more contemporary, European style, influenced by his professor's critique of his earlier, more provincial work.

On the signature blue gift box, Halilaj reimagined the Casa Dragones logo, replacing the eagle with the 'bourgeois hen,' a creature central to his artistic expression. The box, typically featuring a logo with an eagle symbolizing Mexican pride and independence, now features the flightless hen, drawing a parallel between Halilaj's own symbol of freedom and that of Mexico. While eagles soar to great heights, representing a god’s-eye view and untamed wilderness, the hen symbolizes domesticity and connection to one’s roots. For Halilaj, hens and roosters have been longstanding companions, symbolizing his ability to transform life experiences, including his time as a refugee during the Kosovo War (1998–1999). The hen symbolizes transformative potential. Feathers cascade downward on the bottle packaging, forming a constellation of stars, inspired by Dahn Vo's work and a previous collaboration between the two artists on a bottle of red wine.

The bottle is also adorned with a specially embroidered ribbon that reads, “They are Lucky to be Bourgeois Hens,” a phrase from Halilaj's sculpture. Inspired by the restricted freedom of his sister in Kosovo, Halilaj expresses his longing for freedom and his homeland through this work. On the crystal bottle, Petrit’s intricate pencil drawing was painstakingly converted into a high-quality serigraph print of one of his Bourgeois hens.

Casa Dragones is proud to collaborate with Halilaj, whose work embodies integrity and an innovative spirit. CEO and Co-Founder Bertha González Nieves says “It is such an honor to collaborate with Petrit, and to be able to showcase our handcrafted traditions in this edition. This idea stemmed from a chance meeting we had at the Mexico Pavilion after-party in Venice in 2022. We fostered a relationship that allowed Halilaj the freedom to express his art.”

The collaboration coincides with the debut of Halilaj’s Roof Garden Commission, Petrit Halilaj: Abetare for the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The site-specific installation is the artist first major commission in the United States, and it set to debut on April 30. Casa Dragones will display the special edition at the afterparty celebrating the commission. Debuting during Casa Dragones’ 15th anniversary year, this marks the brand's fourth artist bottle, following collaborations with Gabriel Orozco, Pedro Reyes, and Danh Vo. Limited to 500 bottles, the Petrit Halilaj Artist Edition are available for purchase on casadragones.com for $1,500 each.

About Petrit Halilaj

Petrit Halilaj (b. 1986 in Kostërrc, Kosovo) lives and works between Germany, Kosovo, and Italy. Halilaj’s work is deeply connected to the recent history of his native country Kosovo, and the consequences of the political and cultural tensions in the region. But while confronting a collective memory, his work often originates from personal experiences and is the result of an intimate process and shared moments with loved ones. His unique and sometimes irreverent way of playfully confronting the essence of reality results in a deeper reflection on memory, freedom, cultural identity, and life discoveries.

He is currently a professor at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Paris, France, together with his partner and frequent artistic collaborator, Álvaro Urbano.

Solo exhibitions include venues such as: Fries Museum, Leeuwarden; Tate St. Ives, UK; Palacio de Cristal, Museo Reina Sofia, Madrid; New Museum, New York; Fondazione Merz, Turin; Hammer Museum, Los Angeles; Paul Klee Zentrum, Bern; Pirelli HangarBicocca, Milan; Kölnischer Kunstverein, Cologne; Bundeskunsthalle, Bonn; Fondation d'Entreprise Galeries Lafayette, Paris; Kunsthalle Sankt Gallen.