Raise a glass to 'How Wine Became Modern' at SFMOMA
Bonnie Tsui explores a show that examines modern wine culture, high concepts and the 'gorgeous artifacts' of wine
The smart and irreverent exhibition: How Wine Became Modern at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art explores the modern wine culture and cleverly tackles the associated high concepts alongside the gorgeous artifacts of wine.
Exhibits are presented in an innovative fashion; the rise of the winery as art piece is charted from the building of Napa Valley’s Clos Pegase, designed by Michael Graves (the museum itself had a hand in beginning this trend - the project originated in 1984 when SFMOMA sponsored a competition for the design of a winery). There are swan-necked lead crystal decanters by Riedel and branched carafes by Etienne Meneau that recall the heart; the show taps into the fun side of wine too with an interactive smell wall near the end of the exhibition.