Background
THE ARTIST
Zach Lorenzetti has spent many years evolving the concept of Vitriculture, a brand of niche glass sculptures. With a sociology degree from Syracuse University, a sociological perspective can always be found informing his subject matter. After studying art history and renaissance culture in Firenze, Italy, Zach returned to the Finger Lakes to study blown glass at the Corning Museum of Glass. 15 years of glass making, combined with countless hours in the vineyard, has yielded this fruit.
THE WORK
As starlings peck open these Cabernet Sauvignon berries for a drink, juice runs down the bunch. Natural yeast in the air soon ferments that juice, and it quickly turns to vinegar. This condition is known as Sour Rot, which is easily identified by berries that have turned pink.
THE STORY
Aesop’s Fable: The Fox and the Grapes
One day, a fox came across a large bunch of grapes hanging high in a tree. The fox tries with all his might to reach them; he runs and jumps, but misses so many times that he turns his back and disparagingly cries, “They’re probably sour anyway!” He walks away with an embittered whine.
Sour Grapes: Idiom used to refer to an attitude in which someone adopts a negative opinion toward something because they cannot have it themselves.
These days we are all familiar with sour grapes. We all know someone who would belittle us out of jealousy of their own. This sculpture is a reminder that if someone speaks poorly of us, it is only a reflection of their own insecurities and shortcomings. To all those haters, sounds like Sour Grapes!
THE LATIN
Viticulture: The horticultural science of growing, cultivating, and harvesting grapes.
Vitrum: The Latin word for glass.
Vitriculture: The intersection of glass & wine culture.