Hennessy has introduced ‘In the Paint’ to Accra – a unique artistic initiative that brings the Never Stop Never Settle spirit of the brand to local communities through basketball and art.
Deeply rooted in urban culture, Hennessy’s ambition is to bring communities together. To celebrate these values, Hennessy has collaborated with renowned Ghanaian local Artist, Nicholas Tettey Wayo (also known as NICO WAYO), to revitalise the iconic, ever busy Ghana Atomic Energy Commission basketball court in a meaningful way. The collaboration demonstrates Hennessy’s long-standing commitment toward supporting talented artists who embody the brand’s ethos, continuing a decade of meaningful artistic collaborations.
“Everything about life is art and nothing is done without art” says Nico Way. “A nation can never be developed without art; so as an artist, I work hard to develop paintings that speak both to me and to others about the beauty that exists.”
Blending urban culture and cognac in the court design, the different shapes connecting to each other in different colours signify diverse people and cultures coming together as a team to play on one court in peace, love and unity – even though it’s competitive. The ‘Adinkra’ symbols each have their unique representations but the four together symbolise ‘Excellence’. Every basketball and sports team should strive for excellence, as does the team at Hennessy to craft every bottle to the very best of its ability.
In the court design, Nico Wayo makes use of the Hennessy ‘Bras Armé’ icon, but playfully redesigns it to integrate the NBA partnership with basketball in hand. The robust colours showcased throughout the design represent the energy of both the game, and more importantly Africa, and the creative beat of the African people.
“From the very beginning of our global partnership with the NBA in 2021, we decided on a programme dedicated to communities in order to share the joy and values of basketball with as many people as possible. The idea of ‘In the Paint’ was born, renovating basketball courts and entrusting this renovation to local artists.
We are geared up for the fifth instalment here in Accra, Ghana. There is tremendous support for basketball in the country, and we are looking forward to celebrating the spirit of the game together,” says David White, Regional Marketing Director for Hennessy in Africa and the Middle East.
