Mikhail Molochnikov is the new author of the Abrau Art Collection

Abrau-Durso continues the tradition of launching art collections created in collaboration with famous artists. Over the years, this project has combined the history of Abrau-Durso winemaking with the creative ideas of famous masters. In 2024, the author of the collection was the Russian artist Mikhail Molochnikov, whose work "A-O" symbolically conveys the dynamics of modernity and figuratively refers to the beginning of the 20th century, the time of brilliant artistic insights.

The Abrau Art Collection special project has existed since 2015, and over the nine years of its existence, many renowned painters, sculptors and graphic artists have participated in it, bringing their unique perspective and bright ideas to the project. Boris Messerer, Pavel Pepperstein, Eric Bulatov, Igor Shelkovsky, Natalia Nesterova, Aidan Salakhova and others have been invited as authors in different years. The Abrau Art Collection is a symbol of unity of winemaking and art, traditions of Abrau-Durso and the unique vision of famous creators.

Among the brightest contemporary Russian artists, the name of Mikhail Molochnikov occupies a special place: an architect by profession, he formed his own unique artistic style. A devoted and consistent follower of the Russian avant-garde ideas - of El Lissitzky, Pavel Filonov, Pavel Chelishchev - he chose the intuitive path of creating works. This means that by passing through his consciousness, suprematism and architectonics, constructivism and analytical art, he was able to find his own way of visual cognition of the world.

Despite all the abstractness of Mikhail Molochnikov’s thinking, his imaginative world is open to understanding and free interpretation. The graphics are memorable for their fullness, exquisite colour combinations and detailed drawing that immerses the viewer in the fabric of the artwork. Molochnikov's works occupy a worthy place in the collections of museums all over the world: the Museum of Modern Art of the Ludwig Foundation and the Museum of Applied Art (MAK) in Vienna, the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow, the Tretyakov Gallery, the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg, as well as in well-known private collections.

The work "A-O" by Mikhail Molochnikov is based on two components important to the author - constructivism and the image of the Russian alphabet. Throughout his creative biography the artist comprehends the ideas of constructivism in his works: he uses suprematist collage techniques, creating sculptural objects. The second direction of Mikhail Molochnikov's work is the well-known interpretations of the alphabet letters, and in the Abrau Art Collection he uses this important experience. As part of the design project for the Abrau-Durso sparkling wine, the artist uses the letters A and O, the first and last vowels of the historical brand, thereby emphasizing the melodiousness of the name. 

"Art is an unbreakable thread that connects artistic and creative processes, past and future. Constructivism is literally the calling card of Russian art. Thanks to its ideas you can become the locomotive of all that is most progressive, and I aspire to it in my work as the basis of the universe. My idea was an attempt to adapt my style, which absorbed the traditions of the great Russian avant-garde, and reinterpret it in a creative gesture for Abrau-Durso," comments Mikhail Molochnikov.

In 2024, the Abrau Art Collection project presents a unique design of Imperial Vintage Brut 2018 collection sparkling wine of protected geographical indication, created using the classical champagnization technology, each sample of which is aged in the Abrau-Durso mountain tunnels for more than four years. Imperial Vintage Brut of an exquisite light gold shade with a bright lustre represents an assemblage of classic European Chardonnay and Riesling grape varieties and is distinguished by the finest play of bubbles. The multifaceted bouquet of the sparkling wine unfolds in the glass with tones of brioche, apple jam and clotted cream. The fresh and balanced taste of the wine, the brightness of which echoes the artist’s ideas, combines apple-citrus nuances and perfectly structured acidity. The collection was produced in an exclusive gift edition of 1200 bottles in 1.5 liter magnum format.