Dom Pérignon’s new creative chapter at London’s Tate Modern with Tilda Swinton, Zoë Kravitz, Clare Smyth and other champagne-loving stars
It was a wind-whipped evening in London—the kind that makes the Tate Modern’s monolithic concrete mass feel even more severe. But inside, the atmosphere softened. Light was low, the air was tinged with haze, and spotlights cut clean paths through the dark as guests walked through. This wasn’t a traditional exhibition, nor anything the Tate Modern typically plays host to; this was Creation is an Eternal Journey, hosted by Dom Pérignon as part of their 2025 Révélations.
This year’s edition of the annual celebration also marked the unveiling of Dom Pérignon 2008 Plénitude 2; but it was never just about the wine. Instead, the maison used the occasion to express something broader: a redefinition of its core philosophy, in which assemblage—traditionally understood as the blending of different vintages or crus—is elevated into a wider metaphor for creation. Here, it becomes a principle that embraces contrast, balance and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Creation is an Eternal Journey, an immersive exhibition at the Tate Modern in London. explored Dom Pérignon’s past, present and future through art, film and portraiture
A curated exhibition, framed as a triptych of time, brought together Dom Pérignon’s storied past, creative present and imagined future.
The “Past” recalled moments of its legacy: Marilyn Monroe sipping Dom Pérignon on film sets, Andy Warhol elevating it to Studio 54 iconography, and a cameo in James Bond writer Ian Fleming’s Moonraker. From there, guests were ushered into the “Present”, defined by a constellation of contemporary collaborators: Tilda Swinton, the chameleonic actress and artist; Zoë Kravitz, the multifaceted performer and filmmaker; Iggy Pop, the indelible rock icon; Clare Smyth, the trailblazing chef known for her refined British cuisine; Takashi Murakami, the globally influential contemporary artist; Anderson .Paak, the Grammy-winning musician and dynamic performer also known as DJ Pee .Wee; and Alexander Ekman, the Swedish dancer and choreographer.
Tilda Swinton, actor and artist known for her genre-defying performances and singular presence
Zoë Kravitz, actor, director and producer whose work spans film, fashion and music
Clare Smyth, a celebrated chef renowned for her refined take on modern British cuisine
Takashi Murakami, globally acclaimed contemporary artist blending pop culture with traditional Japanese techniques
Anderson .Paak, a Grammy-winning musician known for his genre-blending sound and infectious charisma
Iggy Pop, legendary musician and cultural icon, is often hailed as the godfather of punk
Alexander Ekman, an award-winning choreographer and dancer celebrated for his innovative, theatrical works
Each was invited to engage with the maison’s philosophy from their own creative vantage point. Their interpretations were captured in a series of intimate portraits and short films by photographer Collier Schorr and filmmaker Camille Summers-Valli, forming the centrepiece of the exhibition.
“This was an assemblage of creators who are really different from one another, because Dom Pérignon is also diverse,” says Jacques Giraco, managing director of Dom Pérignon. “We didn’t want just one person; it had to be an assemblage.”
That thinking extends directly from the cellar, where the concept of assemblage—the foundational Dom Pérignon practice of bringing together diverse elements to create a unified whole—originates. “Dom Pierre Pérignon … invented the assemblage,” explains chef de cave Vincent Chaperon. “It’s about understanding the individuality and diversity of what nature and the world offer us—that could mean land, people or wines—and then building something from them that is consistent, coherent and harmonious. That’s the craft.”
Clare Smyth, the acclaimed chef behind Core in London, crafted a progressive menu for the evening, with each course echoing the structure, nuance and philosophy of Dom Pérignon
The “Future” unfolded through drawings, photographs and texts inspired by the pré-assemblage—the stage in champagne-making where individual base wines are tasted and evaluated before the final blend is decided. It is a moment of experimentation and possibility, where the identity of the vintage begins to take shape. Pré-Assemblages 2024 materials, commissioned specifically for the exhibition, translated that process into an artistic language, capturing the tension between what is known and what is still becoming. The result was a rare, intimate glimpse into Dom Pérignon’s evolving vision, one that echoed the layered transformation of the 2008 Plénitude 2, served while viewing the exhibition.
This philosophy of harmony found its most tangible, and most delectable, expression in the standing dinner menu crafted by Smyth. Her culinary progression mirrored both the structure of the exhibition and the layered complexity of 2008 Plénitude 2. The “Past” was represented by a refreshing scallop tartare and langoustine accented with English saffron. The “Present” unfolded in spring leek and potato, followed by Wagyu beef with crispy potatoes and smoked duck egg yolk. The “Future” arrived as a dish of mushroom and yeast—quiet, earthy and forward-looking.
Wagyu beef with crispy potatoes and smoked duck egg yolk, Smyth’s bold interpretation of the “Present”, served in dialogue with Dom Pérignon 2008 Plénitude 2
Each course maintained a precise, expressive dialogue with the champagne, which revealed its depth not through power, but through structure. The wine moved with intention: acidity braided with bitterness and umami, expanding across the palate in slow, resonant waves.
Sustainability wasn’t spoken about at length, but was present, folded into the plate, just as it was in the wine. “For me, sustainability is about finding our place in nature again,” says Chaperon. “As winemakers, we don’t control anything—we observe, we listen, we accompany. The wine comes from the ground, from nature. Our role is to be humble, and to try to reveal its beauty.”
Dom Pérignon 2015 was poured as the night gives way to celebration, an expressive, energetic vintage fit for the dance floor
The vintage itself carries the weight of timing. After a gloomy growing season, it was the unexpected warmth of September that transformed 2008 into what has been called “a late Champenois miracle”. The result is a wine not about flourish, but form: acidity woven with bitterness and umami, expanding across the palate in slow, deliberate waves.
That sense of time, and of transformation, carried into the next movement. Swinton emerged to deliver Notes for Radical Living, her own meditation on presence and growth. “Seek growth. Trust in change. Challenge assumptions,” she said. The words echoed the maison’s belief that progress comes not through disruption, but through refinement.
Anderson .Paak, performing as DJ Pee .Wee, turns the Tate Modern into a dance floor with an electrifying vinyl set to close the night
And then, the night’s final act let go of formality. Paak, performing as DJ Pee .Wee, spun a vinyl set alongside trumpeter Maurice “MoBetta” Brown, filling the space with unfiltered energy. Swinton and Kravitz, Dom Pérignon 2015 in hand, a vintage marked by the house’s bold star, danced with uninhibited joy. They were soon joined by Smyth, liberated from the kitchen and dinner service, while Ekman’s effortless movement turned the dance floor into a stage. It was the champagne’s purpose made visible: not just to celebrate, but to connect.
Zoe Kravitz, Clare Smyth and Tilda Swinton alongside Dom Pérignon chef de cave Vincent Chaperon
Creation is an Eternal Journey is the first expression of this new creative chapter, one that will unfold over time. But the message is already clear. Dom Pérignon reminds us that assemblage is not the erasure of difference, but its elevation. In wine, as in culture, the most enduring creations are those built from contrast, shaped by time and created for sharing.
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