CHICAGO, IL.- Ruinart Champagne, the world’s first established Champagne House, is the official champagne of EXPO CHICAGO, the International Exposition of Contemporary and Modern Art taking place September 19-22, 2013. In celebration of this partnership, Ruinart will showcase limited edition champagne boxes and wooden modules crafted by the Dutch designer Piet Hein Eek.

The elements of Piet Hein Eek’s works consist of the same trademark material he uses in his signature furniture designs: recycled wood. Inspired by Maison Ruinart’s groundbreaking decision to move from using baskets to wooden boxes to ship its Champagne in the late 18th century, Eek crafted individual, wooden storage cases fitted to the unique shape of the Ruinart Blanc de Blancs bottle. Individually signed and numbered, each presentation box is unique and handmade in Eek’s workshop in Geldrop. He selects pine in shades of pale grey, white and cream to reflect the appearance of Ruinart Blanc de Blancs. This material is lightly sanded to guarantee softness, covered with a veil of fine lacquer, and then hand assembled in the shape of
nested, nailed panels.

These boxes will be presented individually along with two larger compositions wooden modules each filled with 72 Ruinart Blanc de Blancs bottles that honor the original wooden crate used by Ruinart. A discreet lighting system illuminates the pale golden color of the wine in the bottles. Eek’s creations will be on display in the EXPO CHICAGO Northern Trust VIP | Collectors Lounge, providing visitors the opportunity to enjoy both the artwork and the Blanc de Blancs.

For more than twenty years, Piet Hein Eek has designed contemporary marquetry that explores the authenticity and beauty of wood. After treating his material, Eek assembles and reworks the wood with an awareness of the precision needed to create handcrafted wooden designs. Eek’s intellectual and innovative use of the medium makes for a natural collaboration, linking his design to Ruinart’s historical attachment to this material.

The limited edition champagne boxes will be on-sale in Crush Wine & Spirits stores and on the website: www.crushwineco.com.

Piet Hein Eek (Holland, 1967) is an industrial designer who lives and works in Geldrop, Netherlands. He graduated from the Design Academy in Eindhoven and opened his own design studio in 1992. Eek is best known for his sustainable furniture designs using wood, iron and steel, and also designs accessories and lights. His work has been sold in galleries worldwide and exhibited in several museums including the Groninger Museum, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, and Museum of Modern Art, New York.