Renowned Musqueam artist Susan Point has collaborated with the Italian Boscaini family to design a piece of art that will grace the label of a special edition Masi Costasera Amarone 2000 wine, as part of an annual contemporary art project.
To celebrate their decades of expertise and cultural heritage passed down from generation to generation, Masi created the Masi Costasera Contemporary Art Project. Every two years an internationally-famous artist is chosen to create an art piece, which is then adapted onto a label of the iconic Costasera Amarone. Each label becomes an expression of the artist's interpretation of the wine and its history, culture, and tradition.
Point’s piece, dubbed Traditional Legacy, depicts Coast Salish traditional subjects represented by pictograms that range from abstract to figurative — an embodiment of the artist's own journey that led her from the Pacific North-West towards Valpolicella. Coast Salish art is a movement inspired by the history, traditions and symbols of the Musqueam people, who have lived on B.C.’s West Coast for more than 10,000 years. Only 112 cases/672 bottles from Masi Agricola featuring Point’s art will be available for sale in B.C.
The seventh generation, Boscaini-owned Masi Agricola (Masi) winery are makers of quality Amarone wines in Valpolicella. Amarone is a wine made in the Veneto region of Italy using the ancient indigenous grape varieties Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara, which are partially dried using a process called Appassimento.
Since the 18th century, the Boscaini family's expertise in Appassimento winemaking techniques has earned Masi respect as a global leader in the production of Amarone and made Masi Amarone an icon of Italian excellence. Much like art, culture and wine are constantly evolving and the history, tradition and innovation that shape life in northeast Italy is often summarized by those living there as “Venetian Values.” It’s those values that shape the Masi Costasera Contemporary Art Project.
The Masi Foundation, the benefactor of the project, extends those values into cultural initiatives. Proceeds from sale of the Costasera Amarone 2000 will be offered as a study bursary and Point will help select a young art student to further their artistic experience in conjunction with Masi.
Masi ambassador Raffaele Boscaini will be in Vancouver May 1 for a special event to unveil the label and honour Point's art work. The limited edition Masi Costasera Amarone 2000 featuring Point’s art will be available at select B.C. liquor stores in May.
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