27 January is the day for everyone to remember the millions of people killed in the Holocaust, Nazi Persecution and in subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur. The Holocaust Memorial Day 2020 marks 75 years since the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. On this day I take the liberty to...
Attention economy
“So we thought an odor couldn’t hurt” – MARTIN KIPPENBERGER
Fragrant Christmas!
Oranges are native to China. In the late Middle Ages they were new to Europe. Andrea Mantegna was clearly aware of orange trees and their beautiful golden fruit when he created this fragrant image of the Holy Night, the Adoration of the Shepherds: The scene is set in an open...
Michel Serres: the philosopher of the senses R.I.P.
Michel Serres, the French philosopher, died yesterday.
Stop of controversial advertizing campaign: Renewing smell culture as taboo culture!
Hornbach is a Geman DIY store chain offering home improvement and do-it-yourself goods decided to stop and withdraw the recent campaign “The smell of spring” after being criticized for promoting racist and sexist stereotypes.
“Spring Air”: DIY retailer & the subculture of BO
Hornbach is a Geman DIY store chain offering home improvement and do-it-yourself goods. “The scent of spring” is the title of its most recent brand campaign:
Patrick Süskind at 70
The history of the emergent field of scent culture has not been written yet. We are still in the midst of creating and shaping this new field. In terms of books that made all this possible very few books stand out. Patrick Süskind’s novel “The perfume” has been a point...
The factory as an attractive multisensory workspace
“The results of this study cast serious doubt on the ideology of the machine-haters. Even in the American automobile industry, where technology is allegedly most dehumanizing, workers expected satisfaction in their work. The situation differed little in the less industrial countries; autoworkers preferred working to leisure, not out of a...
Fragrant Christmas!
Oranges are native to China. In the late Middle Ages they were new to Europe. Andrea Mantegna was clearly aware of orange trees and their beautiful golden fruit when he created this fragrant image of the Holy Night, the Adoration of the Shepherds: The scene is set in an open...
Ferdinand & Smell culture studies (4)
The Story of Ferdinand (1936) is a much acclaimed classic children book written by American author Munro Leaf and illustrated by Robert Lawson. This post reveals the fragrant (and so far ignored) message of the plot.
Art Now! Lecture at Columbia College Chicago
Portraiture is known as a visual art genre. Yet, working with body odors has given rise to artistic works that explore new sensory territories. A lecture with Claus Noppeney at Columbia College in Chicago discussed this development: Can a smell represent a person? How is an olfactory portrait experienced in...
Macht & Duft: Politiker als Nase
In diesen Tagen vor der Landtagswahl in Bayern verdient der amtierende Ministerpräsidenten Markus Söder besondere Aufmerksamkeit. Dabei überrascht ein Portrait mit Bezügen in die Bildwelt des osmanischen Reiches: Was also verbindet Markus Söder mit einem Sultan?
Smelling outer space: “intimidating”
ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst has taken over the role of International Space Station commander from NASA astronaut Drew Feustel earlier today. This is a perfect opportunity to highlight his recent interview with Jan Böhmermann on how outer space smells.
Wo bleibt der Duft? A new whiff of politics?
In the ongoing election campaign in the German state of Bavaria the neoliberal FDP tries to sell the political agenda with the whiff of a new car scent and triggers some controversy. What is “aseptic” about it as the FAZ argues? Is it authentic? Or is this a new step...
“We-Feeling”: The sociality of scents!
What is social or even political about scent? This Scent Culture Comment & Review reveals some of the implications of a casual interview.
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