ELUSIVE ENVOY: OLFACTORY ART NOW
ARTISTS AND ARTWORKS
ALISA BANKS
History of a People (2023)
This artist's book traces African American history and culture through scent, with each of the six bottles representing different historical periods. The work combines cultural symbolism and material culture to narrate a complex, layered story. Banks was a nominee for the 2024 Sadakichi Award for Experimental Work with Scent, which honors creative or experimental practitioners who use scent in unconventional ways beyond traditional perfumery.
History of a People, closed
Dimensions ( 20”H x 14”W x 12”D; Open: 7-1/4”H x 19 -1/2”W x 19 -1/2”D
CHOKRA
Oud to Wellness (2023)
This work utilizes the scent of oud, a precious resin, to explore themes of wellness and spiritual healing through the kodo practice.
CHOKRA performs OUD (Awake to Wellness), New York, 2023. © CHOKRA. All rights reserved.
PETER DE CUPERE
Smoke Cloud (2014)
This interactive installation allows viewers to place their heads into a cloud, experiencing the unexpected scent of air pollution, thereby confronting environmental issues through a direct sensory encounter.
Peter De Cupere
Smoke Cloud, 2014
DANA EL MASRI
Reflection Zone (2023)
El Masri's piece invites viewers to challenge the Western concept of" Orientalism" through scent. She utilizes two original fragrances to question common notions of East and West. "Sarab" an original fragrance composed by the artist, deconstructs the romanticized notions of the East by playing with classical notes popular in French perfumery, and pervading them with scents of everyday life, the first scent aims to strip away the romanticism associated with a movement that is at the core colonial, while the second "Hawa" introduces fresher notes, guiding the audience towards new possibilities and honoring neglected narratives.
Near East To Far West: Fictions of American & French Colonialism
Two olfactory works: Sarab and Hawa
Essential oils & Aroma molecules in Argan oil. Embedded in cotton within carved wooden boxes.
Images courtesy of the Denver Art Museum
TAKAKO SAITO
Spice Chess (c. 1965)
A historical piece- a unique interpretation of the classic game, where each chess piece is represented by a box containing different spices, engaging participants in a multi-sensory experience.
Takako Saito
Smell Chess, Liquids. 1965
Wood chessboard with thirty vial pieces (two missing), originally containing various liquids, and lid
2 9/16 x 5 7/8 x 5 7/8"
MAKI UEDA
Olfactory Labyrinth (2013)
An immersive installation leading visitors through a maze of scents, challenging their sense of direction and memory.
Maki Ueda
Olfactory Labyrinth (2013)
Courtesy Maki Ueda
CLARA URSITTI
The Smell of Fear (1996)
This installation featured four scent dispensers with motion sensors, pink spotlights, and a video projection. Inspired by Judy Garland’s reported body odor issues due to drug addiction, Ursitti recreated the smells in collaboration with biochemist Dr. Dodd. AS visitors walked past, they activated the scents, simulating an encounter with strong body odor and perfume. A video of Garland performing at the London Palladium was projected, adding a poignant audiovisual element to the sensory experience.
Clara Ursitti
The Smell of Fear, 1996
Solo show at Transmission Gallery, Glasgow, Scotland 1996
Copyright Clara Ursitti
SISSEL TOLAAS
The Smell of Fear (1996)
This installation featured four scent dispensers with motion sensors, pink spotlights, and a video projection. Inspired by Judy Garland’s reported body odor issues due to drug addiction, Ursitti recreated the smells in collaboration with biochemist Dr. Dodd. AS visitors walked past, they activated the scents, simulating an encounter with strong body odor and perfume. A video of Garland performing at the London Palladium was projected, adding a poignant audiovisual element to the sensory experience.
Sissel Tolaas photographed by Lengua for PIN–UP.
MARISSA ZAPPAS
Commissioned Work by Marissa Zappas
Zappas, a perfumer and poet, will create a new olfactory artwork specifically for this exhibition, blending her background in anthropology with her avant garde approach to scent design.
Justin J Wee for The New York Times
