Vineyards Magazine

Charity auction supporting the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation’s “Mind’s Eye” program

From 5^th to 19^th October 2022

The charity auction of Ornellaia Vendemmia d’Artista 2019 “Il Vigore” organized by Sotheby’s gets underway from 5^th to 19^th October. Swedish artists Nathalie Djurberg and Hans Berg designed this vintage’s special labels and this year’s proceeds will once more go to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation for the “Mind’s Eye” program.

Jamie Ritchie, Worldwide Chairman, Sotheby’s Wine says: “This is our twelve partnership with Ornellaia for their annual Vendemmia d’Artista project, which is so special to us because it supports worthy artistic causes and combines the brilliance of the estate’s wines with the visual ingenuity of the artists who take part. We look forward to presenting a range of bottles from the 2019 vintage “Il Vigore” later this year, headlined, as ever, by a unique Salmanazar. With its emphasis on the senses, the Mind’s Eye program has been the ideal beneficiary and, as in previous years, we expect these exclusive bottles to attract international interest from collectors eager to also enjoy the unique experiences on offer.”

Since 2019, the proceeds from the Vendemmia d’Artista charity auction have been donated to support this innovative program, which was created by the Guggenheim’s education department to help the blind and low-vision visitors to experiment with art by the fullest use of the senses.

This enables the development of creative impressions, emotional connections and lasting memories. As in all the arts, the appreciation of fine wines also necessitates the total engagement of the senses. Sharing this idea caused Ornellaia to support the growth of this innovative program.

“Ornellaia’s generosity has provided for the expansion of Mind’s Eye, connecting participants across the globe through virtual programs, states Richard Armstrong, Director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and Museum. “In the last three years, our knowledge has allowed Guggenheim New York to increase accessibility both to the museum and to works of art through multi-sensorial exploration. We are grateful for the ongoing support of Ornellaia.”

The Guggenheim stands out as an innovative institution for its commitment to accessibility and building the Mind’s Eye Community. Digitalization has enabled Mind’s Eye to reach a vast public from many countries around the world through its Sensory Guide to the Guggenheim New York or through Verbal Descriptions that use specific language to convey a visual experience for artworks and the unique architecture of the Frank Lloyd Wright designed building. 

The proceeds raised have allowed the program to be extended to the two other museums in the Guggenheim constellation, Venice and Bilbao, hence bestowing international prestige on the program.

For this reason, Giovanni Geddes da Filicaja, CEO of the Ornellaia estate, is excited to state: “Since the beginning of Vendemmia d’Artista in 2009, we have donated the proceeds from the auction to charity. It is immensely rewarding to see the project grow internationally and to know that the work we are doing gives the blind and low-vision persons the possibility to explore contemporary art through the senses. This sensibility has always been a key part of our philosophy.”