Maison Martell is set to auction its first ever non-fungible token (NFT), featuring an exclusive single-edition artwork by London-based Chinese artist and long-standing Martell collaborator Jacky Tsai. The Voyage of the Swift is a spectacular 3D animation centred on the artist’s dynamic, contemporary vision of the swift – the historic emblem of Maison Martell, which symbolises its spirit of daring and freedom.

Demonstrating his signature bold use of colour and collage, Jacky Tsai has reimagined the swift with elements drawn from Maison Martell’s rich heritage, from vine leaves and oak barrels to the sailing ships on which the House first sent its cognacs to China in 1858. The NFT auction should not surprise followers of Jacky Tsai, who has made a name internationally for his audacious artworks across an array of mediums, from painting and sculpture to installations and digital art.

The artist typically explores ancestral Oriental techniques, fusing cultural extremes in dynamic collages combining traditional Eastern imagery with elements inspired by Western pop art. A recent partnership with Maison Martell saw the artist create two striking limited editions of the House’s Martell Noblige and Martell VSOP cognacs for the 2021 festive season.

Martell’s first foray into the exciting world of NFTs takes place on the online marketplace SuperRare, the pioneering destination for unique NFT artwork.

Meet Jacky Tsai, the London-based Chinese artist with a prolific output across a range of mediums. He achieved global fame in 2008 for the flower skull emblem he created for great British fashion designer Alexander McQueen.Now he turns his eye to Martell, with some spectacular bottle and box designs for limited editions of Martell VSOP and Martell Noblige, which fuse Eastern motifs with Western pop art.

“This piece is all about a beautiful swift that starts her journey from Cognac to seek an adventure in the east. All the animals follow her path and are encouraged by her ‘dare to be different and standout’ spirit. The beautiful swift is made by some of the most important elements in Martell’s 300 years rich history.” – Jacky Tsai

The advent of non-fungible tokens marks an exciting new chapter for how we approach and interact with art.

If you are new to the world of artwork NFTs, and planning to bid at Maison Martell’s first-ever NFT artwork auction, then take a few minutes to familiarise yourself with the auction process.

The Maison Martell Jacky Tsai artwork NFT auction will be auctioned on SuperRare, a curated marketplace for high-quality NFT artworks.

While detailed instructions can be found here, the key points to remember are as follows:

1. Before taking part in the auction, you will need to download a mobile wallet that allows WalletConnect. Don’t forget to back up your wallet, which will allow you to recover access should you ever forget your all-important password.
2. Once your wallet is activated, head to SuperRare.com to sign in and register your account.
3. Next, you will need to add funds to your account. As SuperRare is built on the Ethereum blockchain, any bids need to be made using the Ethereum cryptocurrency, ETH.
4. To purchase your first Ethereum, head to a cryptocurrency marketplace, such as Coinbase, then send the coins to your wallet.
5. You are now set to take part in the NFT artwork auction.

Non-fungible tokens are gaining popularity in the world of art as a means of certifying authenticity or proof of ownership of high-end digital art files, such as a digital photo, audio or animation.

The NFT is stored on a blockchain, which serves as a public ledger testifying to the owner of each token.

A collector of fine art might equate an NFT with the receipt for purchase of an original artwork, albeit digital art. This is important in digital art, given the simplicity with which one can otherwise copy or reproduce work.