“There are strong perfumes for which all matter is porous. One would say they go through glass…” — CHARLES BAUDELAIRE
All posts by Scent Culture Institute: Smelling in Culture, Business & Society
“Scent Culturalizing” the end of an industrial era
Germany will shut down its remaining black coal mines by the end of this year. This plan seals the fate of the sector that powered the country’s industrial revolution and post-war economic miracle. Since its early beginnings in the early 1970s this fundamental shift has had widespread implications the former industrial heartland of Germany. Given its links to human memory smells are medium of choice to work on the end of an industrial age.
Thus, the Art Museum at Mühlheim an der Ruhr takes this opportunity to invite Helga Griffiths, an artist who has been working across the boundaries of science, technology and different media (including the sense of smell) for quite a while. We have previously wrote about her work.
For the upcoming exhibition (6 May – 16 September 2018) Griffiths starts with coal as a material for different transformative processes. Destillation technologies are used to arrive at the essence of coal. A special scent edition will be offered on the occasion of this exhibition (allowing the user to keep memories of this passing industrial age).
A sociology of smell
“Smell is in the nose of the smeller, but also in the culture of the smeller.” – ANTONY SYNNOTT
Continue reading A sociology of smell
He suffered death and was buried
The entombment of Christ is one of several standard representations of Jesus’s suffering and death at the hands of the Romans. According to the Christian tradition Pontius Pilate granted Joseph of Arimathea permission to take Christ’s body down from the cross for burial. In addition, the gospel according to John mentions Nicodemus who brings a mixture of myrrh and aloes—about 100 Roman pounds (33 kg)—for embalming Jesus’ body according to Jewish custom.
This detail is part of the piece by Adriaen van der Werff that is on display the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.
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Designing products for a new scent culture
The ongoing normalization of ambient scent creates a growing need for diffusers. In most cases diffusers convey some distinct atmosphere: it might be somehow esoteric or rather technical. But there are very few products we have seen so far that seem to resonate with current design culture. Continue reading Designing products for a new scent culture
When will there be a professor for olfaction & space? And where?
The University of Applied Sciences & Arts Hildesheim is looking for a new professor for “light & space” for its department of lighting design. Reflecting on the olfactory turn we slightly rewrote the official job opening: Continue reading When will there be a professor for olfaction & space? And where?
Odorama on car smells at Mediamatic
We have been looking at cars as “olfactory artifact” for quite a while. In fact, the automobile sector is part of a larger interest in the aesthetic and experience economy. Continue reading Odorama on car smells at Mediamatic
Scent Culture Initiative: Gelungener Nose Cocktail in Zürich
Unsere Scent Culture Initiative erlebte einen kurzweiligen Abend mit bekannten und vor allem auch neuen Gesichtern und Ideen aus unterschiedlichen Bereichen. Lucas Heusser hatte Drinks und passende Düfte vorbereitet.
Möglich war dies dank befreundeter Geister im Hintergrund: Mayumi Matthaeus von Süskind.  Merci an alle fürs Kommen, Ideen und Weitersagen…
Beim nächsten Mal geht es vielleicht nach draussen…. aber das sehen wir noch…
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Continue reading Scent Culture Initiative: Gelungener Nose Cocktail in Zürich
Ocularcentrism
“Now sight is superior to touch in purity, and hearing and smell to taste.” – ARISTOTELES
Continue reading Ocularcentrism
Sensory typography: How does your letter smell?
Graphic designer Sarah Hyndman thinks that the shape of a letter can impact the way stuff tastes, smells, and sounds. To her, typefaces are multi-sensory experiences that affect the way we interact with the world around us. Continue reading Sensory typography: How does your letter smell?