The deal marks the first agency contract the British Library has signed for global IP licensing rights.

“The British Library is a hugely respected, leading cultural institution on a global scale, with such a vast collection of artefacts,” said ARTiSTORY Founder and CEO, Yizan He.

“We aim to help them grow and expand their licensing projects in a variety of new markets and industries. We are thrilled to be establishing this partnership with the British Library, providing us the exciting opportunity to share their extensive collection with an international audience.”

The agreement will see a range of global British Library branded products and event collaborations celebrating the Library’s extensive collection, facilitated by the global team at ARTiSTORY.

The British Library cares for the nation’s archive of printed and digital publications, adding around three million new items to their collection every year. The collection currently features over 170 million items, spanning books and newspapers to sound recordings, patents, prints, drawings, maps and manuscripts.

Caroline Brown, The British Library’s Head of Commercial Services, added: “The British Library has been collaborating with ARTiSTORY on IP licensing in the China market and we are excited to strengthen this partnership by expanding our brand licensing offer in the global market.

“The Library’s rich and varied collection is for everyone and we are looking forward to sharing it with more people across the world through these creative products and innovative projects.”

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We believed licensing was the right tool, even though Christ and I knew nothing about IP licensing at that time. We set up our first venture in Singapore in May 2003, probably one of the first licensing companies in Singapore at that time.

Time flies… It has been 20 years and I am glad that ARTiSTORY is a dream come true.

“ARTiSTORY wants to change the way that art and culture is shared and experienced.”

For anyone new to ARTiSTORY, how would you describe the company?
Well, prior to ARTiSTORY, I founded and built Alfilo Brands – a successful licensing business in China with sizable licensing and retail operations for the British Museum, the MET and the V&A in China. Alfilo Brands was the first player in art and cultural IP licensing in China and we unlocked the hidden value of art via licensing.

Art and culture transcends national borders and has universal appeal to a global audience. From day one, my vision has been to build a global art and cultural IP licensing business. While Alfilo Brands is designated for China and only China, I started ARTiSTORY in early 2021 with a focus on building a truly global player.

ARTiSTORY works with four types of cultural organisations, namely museums, galleries, science centres and libraries, mostly from the West. We currently have operations in Singapore, Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou, London, New York and now our new regional HQ in Raleigh, North Carolina – where I am based.

“Art and culture transcends national borders and has universal appeal to a global audience.”

How important is design to the success of one of your licensing programmes? Does a licensee’s approach to design influence who you partner with?
At ARTiSTORY, we emphasise two key aspects when we approach select licensee partners – design and storytelling capabilities.

Our museums offer us access to a vast collection of their artworks, but high-resolution images of artworks are ‘raw materials’ and they can’t be directly used on product designs.

How do you overcome that?
Firstly, our research and creative design teams in Shanghai, London and New York develop annually refreshed themes and design assets that are inspired by the original artworks.

In our recent afternoon tea project at the Fairmont Hotel, the theme is ‘Season of Impressionists’. In this theme, we feature the Sunflower, among many beloved paintings by Vincent van Gogh from the National Gallery in the UK.

Just like other painters at the time, Vincent painted many varieties of flowers, but he eventually chose a specific variety: the sunflower. Vincent wanted to be known as the painter of sunflowers. His sunflower paintings were colour experiments, as he resorted to various hues of yellow as a way to illuminate his inner world.

Executive Pastry Chef Yong Ming Choong and Senior Sous Chef Jacky Lai at Fairmont Hotel have developed a bespoke food menu and wonderful collections of pastry based on the theme and with a nice rendering of colour palette.

Yes, that looks fantastic. Why do you think art and afternoon tea make for such a creative collaboration?
People are naturally drawn to art, people are curious about culture and equally, we love to share our passion for art with someone we care and love. This is human nature; it’s in our DNA.

Season of Impressionists Afternoon Tea by Fairmont brings diners unique experiences and allows them to share their love for art. While there are many afternoon teas in the Singapore market, the Season of Impressionists Afternoon Tea is one of the first that’s inspired by Dutch Post-Impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh’s lifelong passion for art and is supported by the UK’s National Gallery.

ARTiSTORY is fuelled by our vision, which is to change the way that art and culture is shared and experienced. Thanks to licensing as a business tool, our partnership with Fairmont Hotel and the National Gallery, Singaporeans can now share our love of art over a wonderful afternoon tea session at Anti:dote – a stylish and modern cocktail bar at Fairmont Hotel Singapore.

More exciting art themes are in the pipeline as this is just the first in a four-part series of art-inspired afternoon teas that we will jointly launch in 2023.

We’ll keep our eyes peeled for future launches! As you mention, you’ve had success licensing artistic interpretations of classic pieces. Was it a tough ask convincing museums to allow their pieces to be reimagined in such a way?
Yes, the beginning was not easy as most museums are relatively new to licensing. But eventually, many museums witnessed the success of the licensing programs, not only in terms of revenue, but more importantly, how a global, younger audience has embraced the licensed products that are inspired by artworks.

ARTiSTORY is proud to transform the way in which museums may engage a younger demographic via wonderful licensed products and experiences, such as this Season of Impressionists Afternoon Tea.

There’s plenty of museums and institutions still untapped in licensing. What do you think an artistic institution needs to have in order to embrace licensing successfully?
Keep an open mind as they explore new approaches to engage the global audience. I am glad we have developed many successful licensing and retail programs in partnership with many of the world’s top museums and cultural organisations. Our licensing programs have been implemented in versatile product categories and also in many parts of the world, from Singapore to China, from the UK to the US.

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To be able to reimagine one of the world’s most famous paintings as food art is an honour indeed. We began researching Van Gogh’s artwork and spent hours studying Sunflowers — from the strokes to the colours — to see how we could incorporate it into the afternoon tea. It was not easy, as we wanted to conceptualise a menu that would fully encapsulate the essence of Sunflowers.

It sounds like a real creative challenge. Which elements of Sunflowers stood out as being key to bring into the menu?
Chef Ming: As an art-inspired afternoon tea, one of the most important elements was the colour palette. Aside from the obvious shade selections of yellow and green, we found that Sunflowers also had tinges of blue in the masterpiece. It had a good harmony of colours, which was what we tried to portray in our afternoon tea.

Fairmont Singapore’s Senior Sous Chef Jacky Lai: Flavour-wise, we tried to bring forth the mild, nutty flavour which sunflower seeds are known for.

Let’s dive into some items from the menu. The Sunflower Praline Pot looks remarkable. How did you work out what would both taste great, but also resemble a potted sunflower?
Chef Ming: We spent days developing the Sunflower Praline Pot before we achieved perfection. Everything on the menu is made from scratch, and it took us quite some time to get the colour of the chocolate-based pot right as it required careful mixing.

“I’m really proud of the Hazelnut Praline Sable, which is a miniature painting of Sunflowers coated with a layer of Nespresso chocolate ganache.”

The ‘soil’ of the pot comprises layers of chocolate mousse and marmalade, which we made using clementine oranges from Japan. It was challenging to get the perfect consistency for the layers. Even though we got the recipe down to a tee, it’d still take us another two to three days to make 100 Sunflower Praline Pots.

Wow. Impressive stuff. Elsewhere, the different elements of the Smoked Salmon Sandwich sound like it must’ve also taken a lot of time to get right…
Chef Jacky: I spent two weeks of trial and error before finalising the recipe of our Smoked Salmon Sandwich. I wanted to bring a hint of summer’s flavour to the sandwich, so I decided to infuse sweet blueberries into the sour creme fraiche to give it a nice balance. We also used saffron to give the brioche a nice orange tinge.

I’m sold! Are there any other items on the menu that you’re especially proud of?
Chef Ming: I’m personally really proud of the Hazelnut Praline Sable, which is a miniature painting of Sunflowers coated with a layer of Nespresso chocolate ganache. It is impossible to repaint the Sunflowers so I used a food printer to print out an edible version of the artwork, and delicately constructed the dessert into an Insta-worthy bite.

Amazing! And Jacky?
Chef Jacky: I’d go for the tender Pork Bulgogi and the creamy parmesan mash. It’s paired with the crumbly texture of the maltosec to create a unique and delicious flavour and was a delight to prepare. It definitely added an element of fun and excitement to the cooking experience.

“We like working with brands that can challenge us to think out of the box.”

Do you think there’s scope for more brands to get involved in these kinds of food-based collaborations?
Chef Jacky: Yes, there are definitely such creative possibilities. As mentioned earlier, we’ve actually done many food-based collaborations with brands, including creating a Hello Kitty-themed afternoon tea for Sanrio as well as a fully vegan afternoon tea set with Weiss Chocolate and Classic Fine Foods.

Chef Ming: We like working with brands that can challenge us to think out of the box. It’s also easier for us in terms of R&D and ideas generation if the brand already has a strong visual identity.

Yes, the Hello Kitty afternoon tea looked fantastic too. Guys, this has been fascinating. I have one last question: how do you fuel your creativity?
Chef Jacky: As a chef living in Singapore, I am inspired by the vibrant food scene in this city. There are so many incredible restaurants here, with many of them receiving Michelin stars. This level of competition pushes me to constantly strive for excellence in my creations, including the afternoon tea inspired by Van Gogh’s impressionist paintings.

Chef Ming: For me, creativity is fueled by my appreciation for art and design. The works of Van Gogh are a great example of this, as they incorporate bold colours and textures to create masterpieces. I try to apply the same principles to my desserts, using different colours and textures to create a multi-dimensional taste experience — this is exemplified by the Sunflower Praline Pot.

Absolutely. Well, a huge congrats again on your Seasons of Impressionists afternoon tea. It looks remarkable.

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The collaboration – orchestrated by ARTiSTORY – has resulted in ‘Season of Impressionists’, the first in a four-part series of art-inspired afternoon tea.

Available from March 3rd to April 2nd, the Season of Impressionists Afternoon Tea features culinary creations inspired by Van Gogh’s Sunflowers andcreated by executive pastry chef Yong Ming Choong and senior sous chef Jacky Lai.

“We are so excited about working with Fairmont Singapore and extending the brand reach of the National Gallery, London,” said Judith Mather, Brand Licensing Director at the National Gallery, London.

“The designs and inspiration for the food and beverage offered are world-class which ties into the quality and provenance of our amazing western European art collection based here in Trafalgar Square, London, England.”

Robert Strasser, Hotel Manager at Fairmont Singapore and Swissôtel The Stamford, added: “We are delighted to offer this distinctive afternoon tea experience inspired by Van Gogh’s Sunflowers and hope to bring a new and different appreciation for this famous art piece through food, with creativity and culinary flair from our talented team of chefs.

“At the heart of it, we believe that this collaboration will give our already popular Afternoon Tea at Anti:dote an artistic spin, to provide guests with an even more engaging and memorable experience.”

The themed menu includes a Sunflower Praline Pot, designed to look like a miniature potted sunflower, as well as flower-shaped Hazelnut Praline Sable.

“We, together with Fairmont Singapore, are thrilled to bring a unique afternoon tea experience to Singapore guests with the sunflower-themed afternoon tea,” said Yizan He, CEO and co-founder of ARTiSTORY.

“Guests will be able to sense the gallery’s artefacts through the food and exquisite restaurant decoration, while also providing inspiration to the F&B industry for a greater and more distinctive dining experience.”

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The companies have come together to launch the TECNO CAMON 19 Pro Mondrian Edition Gift Set, paying tribute to abstract art icon Piet Mondrian.

It is the world’s first smart device that uses “sunlight drawing” light technology to allow the phone to change colours in sunlight.

“Aesthetics in technology are becoming increasingly important for today’s consumer, as they look for a more personal mobile experience,” said Lucia Liu, Chief Brand Officer at TECNO.

“The introduction of the CAMON 19 Pro Mondrian Edition makes it possible to achieve the beauty of art through technological innovation as well as to bring art and style to more consumers.”

Debra LaKind, Senior Director, Intellectual Property & Business Development at MFA, added: “Technology as a canvas is a medium we’ve been exploring for years, with the help of TECNO, we can bring our renown collections to a broader audience.

“It’s incredible to see the work of Piet Mondrian serve as inspiration for a completely new kind of smartphone design, one that embraces the true sentiment of abstract art brought to life through technology.”

The TECNO CAMON 19 Pro Mondrian Edition has already collected two international design awards in the 2022 MUSE Design Award and the A’ Design Award.

“In a new era for business, museums promote the cultural value of its collections through products and crossover collaborations,” said Yizan He, Founder and CEO at ARTiSTORY.

“Museum collections are the symbols of human history and civilization. They are the inspiration and the creative wisdom that can bring true values of the brands to the market.”

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One of Madrid’s ‘Golden Triangle of Art’ museums, the Thyssen-Bornemisza holds over 1,600 iconic paintings, showcasing artworks from the likes of Vincent van Gogh, Edgar Degas, Berthe Morisot, Édouard Manet, John Singer Sargent and Paul Cézanne.

“I’m very pleased to have signed our first Spanish Museum, giving us two European, two American and two Asian cultural sites within our portfolio,” said Natasha Dyson, co-founder and licensing director of ARTiSTORY.

“The Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum adds dozens of new modern artists for our creative teams to be inspired by, expanding our range of early 20th century art, among many more iconic masterpieces. We look forward to working together, bringing these works to a range of product categories.”

Designs inspired by the Museum’s artworks will be featured in ARTiSTORY’s Global Theme launches for 2023.

Ana Cela, Head of the Museo Thyssen’s Book and Giftshop, added: “For the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, this partnership represents the chance to make its great masterpieces internationally known beyond its own walls and galleries; thus reaching the largest number of people and establishing contacts with potential collaborators in the design field.”

The Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum joins cultural partners for ARTiSTORY including Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, London’s the National Gallery, London and the Brooklyn Museum.

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The initiative sees artists given the chance to take inspiration from the archives of ARTiSTORY’s museum partners to create fresh artwork that can then be licensed.

Alicia Chen – Country Manager of ARTiSTORY’s Singapore Office and head of the artists programme – tells us how the initiative is going so far, and takes us inside the artists’ creative process.

Alicia, great to connect. Before we dive into the artists programme, how did you find yourself working in brands and licensing? What was your route in?
A huge part of my career has been related to B2B trading, and I was in the trade exhibition industry prior to joining ARTiSTORY. It was through a mutual friend that I met Yizan He, ARTiSTORY’s Founder and CEO, who was looking for someone to set up the Singapore office. The business model that ARTiSTORY initiated in the licensing industry, especially art IP licensing, really impressed me.

How so?
It was a fresh perspective in terms of how we could re-imagine and re-interpret classical art in today’s modern world. Artefacts are treasures of human civilization, and we now have so many more opportunities to connect with and learn about them. I once heard from someone that licensing is everything; that everything under the sun is licensable, even an idea or concept. And you are basically learning every day – new ideas, new initiatives, new concepts; we are given a lot of opportunities to try things out. It seems to me that everything is possible within the licensing industry, so long as one dares to try.

Absolutely, and speaking of fresh opportunities, ARTiSTORY has recently launched an artists collaboration programme. Talk us through what it’s all about.
It is actually an expansion of ARTiSTORY’s business model. Being a master licensee for the world’s top museums and heritage institutions, we create annually refreshed trends, themes and original designs.

“There’s nothing better than when the artist falls in love with the culture and history of the museum’s collection.”

We noticed that brands love the idea of cross-collaboration, so to add more chemistry to our business model, we started reaching out to artists, getting them to create design assets inspired by artefacts and artwork. Once our museum partners approve these designs, they can be used to develop licensed merchandise that is co-branded, such as ‘Artist x Museum’ or ‘Brand x Museums x Artist’. The artist also receives an official certificate issued by our museum partner.

The design assets are made available to ARTiSTORY’s licensees, including global consumer brands and global retailers, to use on the licensed products, product packaging, retail display and marketing materials worldwide.

Sounds really exciting, but how do the artists get to grips with your museum partners? What’s the process?
Since ARTiSTORY creates themes on an annual basis, we do a lot of research in terms of what’s trending for the upcoming year by combining trend forecast and pop culture. Most importantly, we involve the museum experts in the theme creation process. They make suggestions for relevant artefacts, which we then share with the artists. Our work with Dunhuang is a great example.

This is the Chinese city of Dunhuang, home of the Mogao caves. You represent Dunhuang through a partnership with Dunhuang Culture & Tourism Group?
That’s right, and most of the information about Dunhuang is only available in Mandarin, so it takes true collaboration by our international team. Once the artists have selected the artefacts, we share the stories and cultural significance behind them and the museum is involved in each stage of the design process.

“Everything is possible within the licensing industry, so long as one dares to try.”

It’s a unique experience, and very exciting, because when you exchange cultural experiences and knowledge, suddenly you realise there are similar stories or beliefs in different parts of the world – and the significance is identical. I think everyone involved in this project learned something.

It sounds like a fascinating process to be a part of. What do the museums make of it all? I imagine it’s exciting to see their pieces reimagined in this way.
Our museum partners love the idea, and it’s amazing not only to them but even for us. Every artist has their own unique imagination and way of understanding and interpreting. Seeing how they create their artwork and express their thoughts behind it feels like receiving a surprise gift!

For Dunhuang, we wanted to incorporate western culture, so we got both Laura and Sveta working on Dunhuang.

Yes, this is Ukrainian artist Sveta Dorosheva and British artist Laura Greenan, two of the first artists to be involved in your artist collaboration programme?
Yes. Sveta told me that she got so excited about the project, she wanted to run out into the street and tell people about Dunhuang!

A good sign!
Absolutely – there’s nothing better than when the artist falls in love with the culture and history of the museum’s collection. Creating designs inspired by culture from the east and the west was our initial objective and I’m thrilled with the results.

At the end of the day, we’re not only exploring the culture from the past, but we are developing our culture through new artistic expression and helping to tell the stories of art and artists of our time.

Absolutely. And Laura has been kind enough to send us some images so that we can see the process in action. So the first image is the original artwork – After Buildings, Cave No.217, 650-755 AD.

Then we have Laura’s artwork inspired by that piece…

And finally, we have your concept art for where Laura’s art could go when it comes to licensing.

Thanks for sending us that. I think it illustrates the process perfectly. Now, we’ve mentioned Sveta and Laura, but how are you selecting artists to be part of the programme? Is it something people can apply for?
When we first started the living artist programme, I simply knocked on the doors of artists that I found interesting online. We didn’t have many requirements back then because it was considered a pilot programme. As the programme emerges and develops, we are starting to receive enquiries from artists which is exciting.

We are in talks with a few organisations in the US to develop a comprehensive collaboration for emerging artists. We also welcome artists who have an interest in working with museum collections to reach out to us.

There we go – let the floodgates open! I’m interested, while the artists are creating their museum-inspired pieces, how involved does ARTiSTORY get in the process? Do you encourage artists to go in certain directions that might suit categories when it comes to licensing? Or do you just leave them to it?
We provide support by furnishing them with helpful and relevant information. For example, with Dunhuang, we shared the significance of the artefacts and the stories behind them. Before they fire up their creativity, we give artists the freedom to choose their preferred product categories, but for a higher chance of their design getting selected by licensees, we would also share our experience and suggestions.

One final thought before we wrap things up… I’d imagine some of the work created by the artists as part of this programme could lead to an exhibition showcasing the work – maybe at one of the licensing trade shows! Would that appeal at all?
Certainly. This is the ultimate goal for all living artists, having their artwork exhibited in a museum. By working with living artists, we are proud to support them not only financially, but in developing their talent and profile too. As the importance of sustainability in the business world increases, I believe this is also a well-considered form of sustainability, which is also a priority for museums.

Great stuff. Thanks for taking time out for this Alicia – and good luck with the rest of this year’s artists collaborations programme. I look forward to seeing some of the product that emerges from it.

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The exclusive collection – titled ‘A Timeless Journey’ – will see ARTiSTORY’s contemporary take on pieces like Van Gogh’s Sunflowers and Monet’s The Water Lily Pond appear on uin footwear.

“uin Art Travel Shoes is determined to create a new category of travel shoes, combining simple while natural and comfortable products with creative artistic patterns,” said Fernando Acevedo, Co-Founder and Chief Designer of uin.

“We are excited to set forth on this timeless journey together with images of the National Gallery’s masterpieces.”

ARTiSTORY Founder and CEO, Yizan He, added: “We’re delighted to be working with uin on this collaboration with the National Gallery Company and look forward to joining this timeless journey with our partners, witnessing art stories travelling the world.”

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Partnerships with living artists will see three-way co-branding between brands, artists and museums and the programme aims to give artists the chance to take inspiration from the archives of ARTiSTORY’s museum partners to then create fresh, contemporary artwork.

“This is a win-win for everyone,” says Alicia Chen, Country Manager of ARTiSTORY’s Singapore Office, who is managing the artists programme.

“Artists get the opportunity to be associated with the world’s top museums, brands can provide consumers with access to their favourite artists via uniquely designed products endorsed by museums, and museums can engage new audiences, particularly a younger demographic who follow and support their favourite designers on social media”.

As part of the programme, Ukrainian artist Sveta Dorosheva and British artist Laura Greenan are working on new artwork inspired by ARTiSTORY’s museum partner Dunhuang.

Sveta is creating canopies, murals, and flying images of Dunhuang taking inspiration from the murals of the Mogao Caves, while Laura Greenan is working on creations inspired by Dunhuang’s architecture, canopies and Mojing patterns, which will be licensed by ARTiSTORY for co-branded products.

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The event, which took place both virtually and in-person, introduced ARTiSTORY’s unique “Artefacts to Merchandise” business model, as well as original design assets inspired by the collections of ARTiSTORY’s partners like New York’s The Brooklyn Museum, London’s The National Gallery and Tapei’s The National Palace Museum.

“Our creative team has done an excellent job developing the design assets so we we’re really happy that so many so many people could attend the event to get the first look at the designs,” said Natasha Dyson, co-founder & licensing director, ARTiSTORY.

“We’re thrilled with the feedback from the attendees and looking forward to working with then in 2022 and beyond.”

Prints and patterns included ukiyo-e prints by Hokusai, Mucha’s Art Nouveau illustrations and designs reflecting the artwork of the Mogao Caves on the Silk Road.

ARTiSTORY will be presenting new arts and cultural trends and themes twice a year based on upcoming market trends and drawing inspiration from the vast collections of its museum partners.

Yizan He, Founder & CEO, added: “I am excited to see our themes and creatives launched. This marks ARTiSTORY’s new milestone as we build ARTiSTORY as a global art and cultural IP player. We look forward to sailing out on this voyage with our museum partners, global retailers and consumer brands.”

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