The House of Cointreau has commissioned the artist William Amor to interpret the aromas of its iconic orange liqueur, which he has translated into four works created from recycled materials. Four aromatic families, expressed through delicate pieces, illustrate the olfactory depth of the liqueur from Angers.
Fruity, zesty, floral and spicy – these are the liqueur’s four aromatic families that inspired William Amor. A magnificent orange tree (christened Citrus Sinensis Messager), a bitter orange tree (Citrus Aurantium Zero Waste), a remarkable branch from a pepper plant (Polysty Pepper), and his Messenger Bouquet, made up of roses, orange blossom and lavender, are all displayed in the stills room of the Angers distillery, filled with the fragrance of sweet and bitter oranges.
Beyond their aesthetic quality, these works convey a message – that of breathing meaning into artistic creation. Using material that has been discarded or thrown away, William Amor is raising awareness of overconsumption, which generates pollution. To create these enduring compositions, he has recycled bottles and plastic bags, polystyrene beads and threads from friendship bracelets, as well as fishing nets and ropes that have washed up on the beach. His artistic approach is in line with the values upheld by the House of Cointreau, which is committed to an environmentally responsible policy, notably by recycling and recovering 95% of its waste and all of the orange peel used to produce the 14 million bottles sold each year worldwide.
A committed visual artist, self-taught creator of floral works conveying messages, the origin of William Amor’s approach lies in his desire to promote upcycling and using art to benefit ecology. His artistic and ethical work also mirrors his commitment to passing on exceptional craftsmanship. Waste is the raw material for his creative process and he uses high-quality materials from the Luxury Goods industry. With the help of various tools and techniques that he repurposes, he transforms plastic pollution and has reinvented the profession of “floral embellisher” by creating that of “ennobler” of discarded materials. Everyday waste is thus turned into exquisite creations which, in addition to their aesthetic appeal, raise awareness of overconsumption, a significant source of pollution.
It was during COP21 in 2015 that William Amor unveiled his artistic signature and founded Les Créations Messagères, a company that adheres to the values of the Social Economy.
In 2017, he began a residency at Ateliers de Paris and has since collaborated with many luxury and hospitality brands. He has also exhibited at the Révélations Grand Palais, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs and the Milan-based gallery, Rossana Orlandi. A recipient of “Fabriqué à Paris” certification in 2018, he was also awarded the Prix de la Création des Ateliers de Paris in the Luxury Craftsmanship - Emerging Talent category in 2019, and winner of the Banque Populaire Foundation Award (2019) as well as the EY Corporate Foundation Award for Craftsmanship.
"The history of the House of Cointreau, Édouard Cointreau’s ever-present humanism and desire to create a liqueur as clear as crystal, were the starting points for the works that I have created to adorn the aroma table at the Carré Cointreau visitor centre. Transforming waste into treasure is one of my mantras!"
William Amor, Artist
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