Directly referencing the iconic tastevin—a shallow metal cup traditionally worn around the neck to assess the maturity and clarity of wine in dimly lit cellars—Christopher Reynolds presents Crachevin. While tastevin literally translates to "taste wine" in French, crachevin is a portmanteau meaning "spit wine."
This sculptural and performative installation draws attention to the often-overlooked byproducts of opulent activities such as wine tasting. Rather than focusing on the pleasurable act of savoring wine, Crachevin redirects attention to the act of spitting and disposal. One gesture embodies desire, acquisition, and self-indulgence; the other emphasizes rejection, waste, and expulsion.
Through this ceremonial act—performed according to strict rules of etiquette—Crachevin explores a deeper notion of excess: the ritualized enjoyment without consumption, the simultaneous embrace and purging of luxury. In doing so, Reynolds invites viewers to reconsider the cultural performances of taste, privilege, and refinement that obscure the material realities of waste and indulgence.