Meet the contemporary artists behind Into the Vine—a wine tasting deconstructed

The best thing about Ontario wine is that there’s such a range of greatness. From the Niagara Peninsula to Prince Edward County to Lake Erie North Shore, from the vineyard to the bottle, Ontario winemakers are dedicated to producing wines that show of the character of the grape, the appellation of origin and the terroir.

And what’s the best pairing for your favourite VQA Ontario wine? In our opinion, it’s great art.

From November 10th to 12th, VQA Wines of Ontario presents Into the Vine, a wine tasting deconstructed — bringing together six unique experiences, designed by leading-edge contemporary artists. Each artist was asked to interpret a Ontario VQA wine variety, choosing from Sparkling, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Gamay Noir and Cabernet Franc.

Here’s a sneak peek at a few of the creative masterminds:

Toronto-based Studio F Minus consists of artist Mitchell F. Chan and architect Brad Hindson, who bring together technology, science and interactivity to create large-scale art projects for public spaces across Canada. The duo began their collaborative practice in 2008 when they created their first showpiece for Nuit Blanche, an annual all-night arts festival. For Into the Vine, Chan and Hindson drew inspiration from Riesling, the fresh and captivating Ontario white wine variety. They describe their installation as “breathing, alive, immersive and bucolic.” Without giving too much away, think: fresh, amazing flowers. Tons of them.

Here they are talking about the project:

Joining Studio F Minus at Into the Vine is contemporary sculptor Xiaojing Yan. She creates otherworldly pieces with traditional Chinese materials and techniques, reinventing them with a contemporary aesthetic and presentation. In her current exhibition, “Out from among the tranquil woods” at the Varley Gallery in Markham, she transformed lingzhi mushrooms, star anise and cicadae — as in thousands of gold-painted shells of cicada insects — into a series of fantastical pieces. “In my art, every idea travels through the intricate passageway of how I think in Chinese but speak in English,” she says. “Choosing the right material for my work is like choosing the right word in my vocabulary.”

For Into the Vine, Xiaojing Yan will interpret Sparkling wine through her extraordinary piece “Cloud Cell,” which uses more than 13,000 freshwater pearls that are suspended like the iridescent bubbles of Ontario sparklers.

Hear more about Yan’s piece here:

Don’t miss your chance to attend Into the Vine in person November 10th to 12th at 571 Adelaide St. E. at Parliament.

RSVP at www.VQAIntoTheVine.com