What happens when two artists worlds apart from each other come together to work on a creative project? For Grand Marnier’s latest initiative, Grand Encounters, the cognac and orange liqueur brand paired the vibrant London-based artist Ed Curtis with musician CKTRL to test just that. Capturing the unlikely magic that can spark between two creatives from completely different disciplines, the project celebrates innovative collaboration and is a nod to the brand’s own legacy. First launched in 1880, with the meeting of two unlikely ingredients – fine cognac and orange – the liqueur is still sought after all these centuries later.

Coming together for this project, from two different worlds, the one thing that binds the two creatives together is their shared love of Grand Marnier. With Curtis inspiring CKTRL to create sounds influenced by the brand’s colour codes and CKTRL’s work helping Curtis navigate a new environment when working on a piece of art, the project highlights multidisciplinary collaboration.

Known for his abstract, energetic visuals, Curtis’ work typically lives at the intersection of colour, shape, and flow, creating a sensory experience that feels both grounded and wildly experimental. For Grand Encounters, Curtis steps into a new space, pulling inspiration from Grand Marnier’s bold aesthetic and heritage, translating the brand’s unique blend of cognac and orange into visual forms. 

CKTRL, whose music merges jazz, classical, and electronic influences, provides the perfect sonic landscape for Curtis’ visual language. His music, like Curtis’ art, adds an ambient yet tactile layer to the collaboration. By weaving his musical interpretation of Grand Marnier’s rich tones and sophisticated palate, CKTRL crafts a soundtrack that echoes Curtis’ abstract visuals, each note a nod to the brand’s complexity. Together, the two bring their unique perspectives into a shared space, creating an interplay of sound and visuals that feels as layered and multidimensional as the Grand Marnier itself. The push and pull of each other’s work bring out the colour and vibrancy of the drink through different artistic mediums including paint and music.

Presented through dynamic stills and a behind-the-scenes film, this collaboration is a refreshing exploration of how two distinctive and different creative languages – one visual, one auditory – can connect to elevate each other. A true collaboration, in the video the two discuss how each other’s work, alongside the history of Grand Marnier’s founder, inspired each of their practices. It’s a celebration of artistic synergy, with Curtis and CKTRL proving that sometimes the most striking connections emerge when two different worlds collide. “More than anything I was thinking about an emotional response to the colours and then I thought about your work and the way it translates to sound,” CKTRL says to Curtis. 

The two are also spotted enjoying the ‘Grand Margarita’, Grand Marnier’s signature cocktail which was recognised in the International IBA Cocktail Book recently. This recognition highlights the magic that happens when unexpected combinations come together to create something extraordinary. With its unique twist on the beloved classic, Grand Marnier elevates the margarita to new heights.

Watch the video below and head to the gallery above to check the collaboration.