To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the iconic Beoplay A9 circular speaker, Bang & Olufsen joined creative forces with famed producer Swizz Beatz, fine artist Ferrari Sheppard and vinyl pioneer 12on12, and created a limited-edition collection of bespoke speakers that feature a custom cover of one of Sheppard’s most famous artworks “My Name is Sarah.”
Designed by Bang & Olufsen and Øivind Alexander Slaatto, Beoplay A9 is one of the luxury Danish audio brand’s most recognizable speakers.
To celebrate the anniversary of the speaker, vinyl lifestyle brand, 12on12 created a series of covers featuring Ferrari Sheppard’s work. Grammy Award-winning producer Kasseem “Swizz Beatz” Dean, a strategic stakeholder in 12on12, worked with Bang & Olufsen to choose a piece of art for the Beoplay A9 project alongside a re-issue of his 12on12 curated vinyl: Long Live Jazz! He selected Ferrari Sheppard’s portrait “My Name is Sarah” to be featured on 40 limited edition A9 speakers for Bang & Olufsen, 12 limited-edition hand-finished prints by the artist, and on the outer jacket of the second issue of Long Live Jazz!, which includes 30 hand-finished pieces by Sheppard.
For nearly a century, Bang & Olufsen has championed a fusion of artful design and high-performance audio technology – and today’s collaboration with Ferrari Sheppard reinforces that heritage. Celebrating our commitment to technological innovation and unrivaled craftsmanship, the partnership with Ferrari sees a classic Bang & Olufsen design transformed into a canvas that showcases his contemporary vision. Just as music has the power to stir up nostalgic memories, Ferrari’s chosen artwork evokes an intimate sense of childhood and family life which works beautifully with the shape of the A9. We were delighted to be introduced to Ferrari through Swizz Beatz and 12on12 which has allowed us to demonstrate our devotion once again to connecting bold, future-facing form and the magical sound experiences that Bang & Olufsen is renowned for. – Rick Costanzo, President of Bang & Olufsen America
We are delighted to partner with Bang & Olufsen, a brand that epitomizes 12on12’s core values of art, creativity & music. The beauty of this project lies in how it brings together four collaborators who are passionate about highlighting the connection between jazz music and contemporary art. Sheppard’s piece ‘My Name is Sarah’ takes on a special meaning within the context of this campaign, while also showcasing Swizz Beatz’s exceptional curatorial talents. – Claudia Moross, Founder & Chief Creative of 12on12
This partnership is part of a larger Global initiative by Bang & Olufsen called “Art of the A9,” which works with creatives to reimagine the speaker as part of its 10th-anniversary celebration. Parisian-based visual artists Alexis Jamet and Manon Cezaro created the first collaborations in the series.
The 40 limited-edition Beoplay A9 speakers ($3,799 USD) will be available from November 29th in select Bang & Olufsen showrooms.
