New York City is the first and only U.S. stop of the Hennessy 250 Tour, a traveling cultural exhibition that opened to the public at Lincoln Center July 8th – featuring original installations, video, portraits and artwork by internationally-recognized artists whose works evoke the brand’s legacy and expertise. To celebrate, the brand hosted Hennessy Cognac’s 250th Anniversary Gala Dinner and Art Exhibition Grand Opening at Lincoln Center.

Key Hennessy attendees included Chairman & CEO Bernard Peillon; 8^th generation family member  Maurice Hennessy; EVP Spirits of Moët Hennessy, Rodney Williams; and for the first-time ever together in the U.S., the Cognac house’s prestigious Tasting Committee.

Other attendees of note included rappers’ Nas, Swizz Beatz, and Doug E Fresh and contemporary artists’ Futura  and Daniel Arsham.

The evening commenced with a private tour of the art exhibit and a contemporary dance performance by the prestigious Juilliard School, inspired by Hennessy’s legacy. Guests then attended a private gala dinner where they celebrated the brand’s 250^th anniversary with a special tasting of the ultra-rare Hennessy 250 Collector Blend.

The Hennessy 250 Tour was open to the public July 8-10 by appointment only. This included public discussions in the Lincoln Center auditoriums, in which featured artists will share their creative processes and present the pieces they created for the Hennessy250 Tour.

The traveling exhibition took visitors behind-the-scenes of Hennessy’s past, present and future and features works by internationally-recognized artists whose pieces evoke the brand’s legacy and expertise: Charles Sandison, Pierrick Sorin, Jean-Michel Othoniel, Arik Levy, Tony Oursler, Anton Corbijn, Daniel Arsham, Jonah Baker and Constance Guisset. The exhibit was curated by Hervé Mikaeloff, in collaboration with scenographer Nathalie Crinière and Hennessy heritage expert Raphaël Gérard.

A guest experiences Charles Sandison’s “A Tale of Two Families” piece, which explores the multi-generational story of the Hennessy and Fillioux families, at the Hennessy 250 Tour Grand Opening at Lincoln Center.

Pictured left to right, 8th generation Hennessy family member Maurice Hennessy, Rapper Nas, contemporary American artist Daniel Arsham and Executive Vice President Spirits of Moët Hennessy USA, Rodney Williams.

Hennessy Tasting Committee Members pictured from left to right, Jean-Pierre Vidal, Alain Deret, Renaud de Gironde, Master Blender Yann Fillioux, Benoit Gindraud, and Olivier Paultes, pose in front of a barrel of ultra-rare Hennessy 250 Collector Blend.

Contemporary artist Futura, Rapper Doug E Fresh, 8th generation Hennessy family member and international brand ambassador, Maurice Hennessy and photographer and DJ D-Nice.

Rapper Nas and Hennessy Chairman & CEO Bernard Peillon.