Maker’s Mark® Raises a Glass with “A Toast to Remarkable NYC” Program and Public Art Installation

The Iconic Bourbon has partnered with Risa Puno, NYC-based sculpture and installation artist, to create Open Invitation, a one-of-a-kind art exhibition and love letter to the city she calls home

LORETTO, KY , Oct. 11, 2022 Maker’s Mark^® today announced a new public art installation paying tribute to New York City, scheduled to traverse three neighborhoods throughout October. Maker’s Mark was founded on a dream to create a bourbon that could be enjoyed by all and ever since becoming available to New Yorkers back in 1980, Maker’s Mark has been poured, mixed, and shared by New Yorkers all over the city. A city that champions individuality and diversity, and like us, believes everyone’s unique and everyone’s remarkable.    zzubreebym

In an effort to reciprocate that love, Maker’s Mark has partnered with Risa Puno, a Kentucky-born, NYC-based interactive installation artist, to create an artwork specifically for their "A Toast to Remarkable NYC" program. Puno’s work is inspired by the City’s iconic brownstone stoops that have served as sites for spontaneous social gatherings throughout the years. Entitled Open Invitation, this interactive artwork encourages visitors to take a break from busy city life, slow down, and savor the moment together, just as they do down in Kentucky over a shared sip of Maker’s Mark Bourbon.

The installation is a central piece in the Maker’s Mark "A Toast to Remarkable NYC" program, which is intended to spotlight all the reasons people love NYC. Along with Puno, Maker’s Mark is partnering with LISA Project NYC, a local arts nonprofit featuring diverse artists and art-based events in NYC, to kick off a city-wide celebration with local tastemakers, and everyday remarkable New Yorkers in "Raising a Toast" to the City.

"One of the most remarkable things about living in NYC is the mutual consideration that New Yorkers must have for one another in order to coexist, sharing our personal space with friends as well as strangers," said artist Risa Puno. "I wanted to create a public stoop for anyone and everyone that embodies the interconnected experience of living in NYC. The installation is open and welcoming from all sides, offering seating in the round. Open Invitation is my monument to shared experiences, hospitality, and feeling like you belong."

Maker’s Mark Bourbon originated in Kentucky but found its second home in New York City in the 1980s. "Maker’s Mark has always embraced New York, and this is an opportunity for us to really take a moment in time to share our dedication," said Marilyn Chen, Senior Brand Manager for Maker’s Mark. "We are incredibly honored to be working with Risa and the LISA Project NYC on this program. Risa is a Kentuckian-turned-New Yorker who uses her art to promote interactivity and connection – something we hope Maker’s Mark does for New Yorkers as well. Her vision for this installation really resonated with us and what we wanted to bring to the communities of New York. We hope those that visit and experience it will feel that sense of community and find one more reason to love this remarkable city."

Risa Puno’s one-of-a-kind installation for "A Toast to Remarkable NYC" can be experienced in person by the public starting October 11 and will be featured in three different locations throughout October with neighboring bars and restaurants offering cocktail specials that also pay homage to "Remarkable NYC":

Site One: Chelsea Triangle, October 11-15
Site Two: East Village, October 18-22
Site Three: Williamsburg, October 25-29

For more information, please visit ToastToNYC.com.

About Maker’s Mark^® Bourbon
In 1953, in Loretto, Ky., Bill Samuels, Sr., fulfilled his dream to create a handmade and delicious bourbon. He decided to make his whisky in small batches, using soft red winter wheat to enhance the softness and sweetness. He then rotated each barrel by hand for consistency and, finally, aged each barrel to taste. Bill Samuels, Sr., transformed bourbon from a "commodity" into a premium handmade spirit, and today Maker’s Mark continues to make its bourbon the same way. At his side, co-founder and wife Margie Samuels left her own indelible mark on the brand. While Bill developed the smooth-tasting, wheat-based Maker’s Mark Bourbon, Margie is responsible for the bourbon’s name and label, standout bottle shape, iconic and signature look that still involves hand-dipping each bottle in red wax to this day, and so much more. Bill and Margie’s time-tested approach seems to still be working just fine 60+ years later, as Maker’s Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon was awarded a Double Gold medal at the esteemed San Francisco Spirits Competition in 2021. In recent years, Maker’s Mark has introduced thoughtful, super-premium innovations to its portfolio, including Maker’s Mark 46, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength and Maker’s Mark Private Selection, the industry’s first-ever custom barrel program. Today, Maker’s Mark is the largest distillery in the world to achieve B Corp Certification, a reflection of the brand’s dedication towards building a more inclusive and sustainable economy and signaling a major milestone on the brand’s environmentally conscious mission to "Make Your Mark, Leave No Trace" – now and for the future. For more information, visit www.makersmark.com.