Jan 23, 20233 min read

A BAR-REL TO HELP CHILDREN

Updated: Feb 17, 2023

- Collaboration with the Mountain Seed Foundation -

This fundraising project was initiated in collaboration with the Mountain Seed Foundation. All proceeds will go to the children in Ukraine and their families. More information is available at their website: www.mountainseedfoundation.org

My name is Pierre Vennen. I’m 38 years old, husband and father of 3 children. I’m a French Artist based in Vienna, after living in Scotland for 4 years with my family.

Since 2015, I started to work with barrels, maturing some of the finest whiskies and wines in the world before then becoming my “canvas.” Exclusive and authentic, my creations are individually designed for those who love to own a true piece of whisky and wine history. My Grandfather was a joiner, and I spent my childhood in his workshop. I’ve learned photography and art along my life’s path and today I’m sharing it through my creations.

I’ve been involved with the Foundation since the beginning, I’m always strongly connected to my community; and, when I had the chance to help the founders to realize their dream foundation, I realized the need and what could be accomplished for the children, and I knew I could help.

I started to work on the Bar-rel 100 at the end of 2021. Originally designed as an Artist-Collaboration to celebrate the number 100, I was in touch with other artists who created different parts of the “canvas” that I could include in the Bar-rel. Following the events in Ukraine in early 2022, we decided to focus our effort on the children of Ukraine and their families. This masterpiece celebrates the people of Ukraine, their culture and their traditions.

Born as a Sherry cask in Spain, this solid oak Hogshead barrel has been last used in Scotland to mature one of the finest single malts. 30 plus years after, it is now becoming one the finest pieces I’ve ever created.

We chose the traditional Vyshyvanka design for the top of the bar-rel, but you’ll also find it on the light diffuser and on the bespoke hinges.

Joanne Trimble, a German designer, created this stunning sunflower, one of Ukraine’s national symbols, using more than 65 laser cut parts.

The shelf has been made by Handicraft design based in Poland. They used solid oak and blue epoxy resin to build this unique piece, cut to the exact dimensions to fit perfectly in the bar-rel.

The lighting system is designed in collaboration with the wonderful Pegasus Systems team, also a Viennese-based light system engineer company.

You’ll also find amazing hand painted coasters made by Mary Grace Cook from America, representing Maidan Square, Lviv Theatre, and Kamianets-Podilsky Castle - three famous locations in Ukraine.

On the two doors, Nikolaos Sideris, a Greek painter specializing in icons painted two authentic pieces: the Foundation’s logo and an Angel using his ancestral methods including egg whites and sea stone dust.

For the bottom of the cask; Aymeric Renoud from Draff Studio, based in Dundee, designed and built a bespoke plate that has been made out of draff (or spent grain) from a Scottish beer brewery called 71Brewing.

The music of this video also has been created especially for this project, a song from Adrien Vennen at Didstep Music.

Finally, I've painted "IRYNA", named after one of Foundation’s founders, Iryna Prykhodko. I've used a photograph of my daughter and myself. This canvas is a tribute to all the dads in this world,

“with the faith the size of a mustard seed, we can move mountains.”