Hospices auction 2025: the official illustration by artist Mode2 revealed

A very contemporary 2025 poster for the Hospices de Beaune 2025 wine auction

The 165th Hospices de Beaune auction (November 16, 2025) is illustrated by a work by artist Mode2. It echoes the conviviality of Burgundy, the pleasure of getting together and sharing, with a warm visual in the courtyard of the Hôtel-Dieu.

The 165th Hospices de Beaune auction (November 16, 2025) is illustrated by a work by artist Mode2. It echoes the conviviality of Burgundy, the pleasure of getting together and sharing, with a warm visual in the courtyard of the Hôtel-Dieu. It stands out for its visual strength and universal message.

The chosen artist, Mode 2, imagined a banquet table set at dusk in the courtyard of the Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune. The setting is not insignificant: this is the historic site where the Wine Sale was held until 1924, when it was moved to the old winery and then, from 1959, to the Halle de Beaune.

The scene depicts guests gathered around a meal, in a warm, festive atmosphere. This iconographic choice evokes both the conviviality of sharing wine, the solidarity that unites participants around a hospitable cause, and the heritage dimension of a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Climats de Bourgogne.

The 2025 poster bridges the gap between tradition and modernity, drawing on the history of the Hospices while offering a contemporary, graphic interpretation of their mission. It embodies the very essence of the Sale: celebrating wine, supporting the hospital, and bringing generations together in a festive, supportive event.

Mode2, a multi-talented artist

Mode2 is a contemporary artist from Mauritius who has lived in London since the late 1970s. He is widely recognized as one of the pioneers of European graffiti and a major figure in hip-hop culture. From the early 1980s onwards, he made his mark on the London art scene, transforming walls into veritable canvases of expression. His style is characterized by a mastery of drawing and a narrative approach: his works tell stories, capture emotions and depict the human body with sensuality and energy.

Unlike many graffiti artists of his time, Mode2 quickly moved away from simple lettering to focus on the human figure and scenes of life. His work explores relationships, movements, desires and body dynamics in urban space. He uses warm colors, fluid forms and precise linework to give his compositions an almost cinematic intensity. This singular approach has made him a benchmark in figurative graffiti, a style that fuses comics, illustration and mural art.

Over the years, Mode2 has established himself in the contemporary art world while remaining true to his underground roots. Today, he exhibits in galleries around the world, while continuing to work on murals and collective projects linked to hip-hop culture. His works, whether on canvas, paper or wall, retain the human and emotional dimension that sets him apart: they speak of urban life, social relationships and the sensuality of movement.

Mode2 is not only a visual artist, but also a witness to and player in the evolution of urban culture. His work bears witness to the maturation of graffiti from a simple street art to a recognized artistic expression. By combining the raw energy of the street with the sensitivity of drawing, he embodies a generation of artists who have succeeded in bringing together the popular and the poetic, the ephemeral and the lasting.

The principle: a new poster each year to illustrate the Hospices de Beaune auction.