newsfrom...201011

Wine is a potent force in contemporary life, perhaps the only comestible to produce its own visual culture. The exhibitions How Wine Became Modern is the first exhibition of its kind, looks at the world of wine and the role that architecture, design, and media have played in its stunning transformation over the past three decades. Developed in collaboration with the New York architecture studio Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the exhibition features historical artifacts, architectural models, multimedia installations, newly commissioned artworks, and even a "smell wall" to provide a richly textured experience in the galleries. Come discover how important cultural preoccupations of our day, such as the meaning of "place" and "authenticity" in our increasingly global and virtual world, play out at this uniquely fertile intersection of nature and culture. At once a nuanced investigation and a vivid sensory and aesthetic experience, this exhibition presents wine as you've never seen it before.

Peter Wegner, In [ ] Veritas, 2010; 216 in. x 1000 in.; paint (mural), graphic tape, vinyl lettering; installation detail; © Peter Wegner; Courtesy SFMOMA 2010