Marina Abramović Interprets Ornellaia 2023 "La Vitalità"

As part of the 18th edition of Vendemmia d'Artista, a Salmanazar and a selection of large-format bottles adorned with artistic labels will be auctioned online by Bonhams from June 11 to 23, with proceeds supporting the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation.

BOLGHERI, Italy, June 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The 18th edition of the Vendemmia d'Artista project welcomes another leading figure from the international art world to the Ornellaia gallery. Renowned contemporary artist Marina Abramović has been entrusted with interpreting Ornellaia 2023 "La Vitalità" and artistically expressing the character of the vintage.

To do so, starting with a vintage that fully expresses the generative power of Ornellaia's terroir, Abramović explores the theme of the self, understood as an act of awareness and determination in capturing one's own image. While the body has always been central to the artist's research, for Ornellaia she chose to portray herself in a process of transformation, continually redefining the boundary between art and life.

At the heart of the project is a self-portrait in the guise of Medusa, a mythological figure that the artist reinterprets through a contemporary key. In Abramović's version, the snakes, formed by bunches of grapes, transform threat into abundance and fear into vital energy. The work created for Vendemmia d'Artista reflects on the capacity for regeneration through art, rediscovering strength and vitality.

"When I began this project, I started with drawing the raw materials: grapes. I surrounded my face with bunches, and suddenly the vivid green of the leaves and the deep black of the berries began to vibrate. A vital force, petals of energy blooming from the mind," explains Marina Abramović

For the label featured on the 750ml bottle, Marina-Medusa is portrayed as a simple drawing, while her face, almost entirely surrounded by bunches of grapes, is depicted on the labels of the 100 three-liter bottles.

From drawing to photography, Abramović's interpretation evolves further in the 10 Imperials (6 liters), where she appears as Medusa, with braided hair and copious bunches of grapes cascading around her neck in a display of life and movement. Through a progression of images, her face is gradually concealed by the grapes until only one eye remains visible in the final frame. The gaze captivates the viewer, transforming the self-portrait into an intense visual experience, in which every detail pulsates with energy and fully celebrates the theme of the vintage: vitality.

The iconic Salmanazar (9 liters) is conceived as a multisensory experience. The bottle is topped with a conical red candle inspired by Abramović's artworks Energy Hat, which can be lit. The label bears the instructions: SLOWLY DRINK WINE WITH EYES CLOSED AND LISTEN TO THE MUSIC. Alongside, there is a 45 RPM vinyl featuring music by Nino Rota, composer of the soundtrack to La Dolce Vita, transforming the surrounding space through sound. Together, these elements form a single performative gesture, in which art and life converge.

"In the vineyard, every stage of the vegetative cycle describes a process of transformation. Patience is essential and, at times, is timeliness. Marina Abramović has captured this energy. She has looked at us and involved us all, turning our work into art," says Lamberto Frescobaldi, President. "We are very proud of this collaboration and to share it with all Ornellaia wine lovers through the artist-designed labels of the various formats of the 2023 vintage."

Only 14 lots, including the Imperials and Salmanazar, designed by Abramovic, will be offered through Bonhams, one of the world's oldest and most prestigious auction houses. The online auction will take place at www.bonhams.com/ornellaia2023 from June 11-23, 2026.

In continuation with the collaboration established eight years ago, Ornellaia will donate all proceeds to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation in support of Guggenheim Pop: 1960 to Now, on view at the museum in New York from June 2026 to January  2027. Ornellaia's contribution will help support the conservation and restoration of works included in the exhibition in order to continue to "make art accessible to everyone for as long as possible," concludes Lamberto Frescobaldi.

[LINK TO PHOTOS – credits to Ornellaia]

The Ornellaia 2023 vintage
Marco Balsimelli, Technical Director at Ornellaia, describes the vintage: "The mild winter encouraged early vegetative growth, which was constantly monitored by our technical team. Then, with the arrival of spring abundant rainfall replenished water reserves ahead of the summer, while also requiring additional vineyard work to manage vigour and prevent potential diseases." The ensuing summer in Bolgheri was hot, though without extreme peaks in temperature. Balsimelli continues: "There was no water stress in the vineyards, which were able to reach maturity gradually and with optimal concentration. Late August rainfall, followed by cool September nights, favored the development of aromatic complexity and preserved a good level of acidity in the grapes, ensuring a perfect balance between expressiveness and elegance – a hallmark of Ornellaia."
https://www.ornellaia.com/en/

Vendemmia d'Artista
Vendemmia d'Artista began with the 2006 vintage. Each year, a contemporary artist is invited to interpret the character of the vintage through the creation of artworks that personalize the bottles. The project includes large formats (Double Magnums, Imperials,  and Salmanazars) designed by the artist and offered through the auction. The proceeds support foundations and museums around the world. Now in its 18th edition, Vendemmia d'Artista is recognized for its commitment to preserving art as a universal heritage and to expanding access to art for audiences worldwide.
https://www.ornellaia.com/en/vendemmia-dartista/

Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation 
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation was founded in 1937 and is committed to promoting the understanding and appreciation of modern and contemporary art through exhibitions, educational programs, research initiatives, and publications. Its international constellation of museums includes the Guggenheim in New York, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, the Guggenheim Bilbao, and the future Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. Considered a "temple of the spirit" where art and radical architecture meet, the Guggenheim in New York, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, is one of eight buildings in the United States designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. To learn more about the Guggenheim in New York and the foundation's activities worldwide, visit guggenheim.org.

About the Bonhams Network
Bonhams is a global network of auction houses, with the largest number of international salerooms, offering the widest range of collecting categories and selling at all price points. Bonhams is recognized for its bespoke service and a dedication to local market relationships, enhanced by a global platform. With 14 salerooms, Bonhams presents over 1,000 sales annually, across more than 60 specialist categories, including fine art, collectables, luxury, wine & spirits, and collector cars. Founded in 1793, Bonhams has representatives in more than 30 countries and operates flagship salerooms in London, New York, Paris, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong. In 2022, Bonhams added four international auction houses to its network: Bukowskis, Stockholm; Bruun Rasmussen, Copenhagen; Cornette de Saint Cyr, Paris and Brussels; and Skinner, Massachusetts. The success of Bonhams' global strategy is a result of recognizing the shift in growing intercontinental buying and increased digital engagement. www.bonhams.com/ornellaia2023

MEDIA CONTACT
Morgana Germanetto
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https://www.ornellaia.com/en/

SOURCE Ornellaia