of ANTISEPSIS

We live in a world of complete antisepsis. We are surrounded by communities of rich micro-organisms resulting in rich smells. To be sanitised and pasteurised is of our generation which will lead us to a sensory death through the extensive cleaning of bacterias via hyper sanitation. Cultural and chemical detection is a biological and ancient tool used by animals, bacteria and even humans - a crucial component in understanding and orienting our given self in an environment. Alas, not every smell, bacteria and bacteria that produce smells is inviting nor pleasant, although they surround us in every day life, and the consequences for this hyper-sanitation movement could lead us to a place where we no longer engage with these smells. A crucial information tool. Only thinking something smells bad makes it so.

Oigall Projects. Cubby brings you sculpture by Kate Jones and Parker Levdupain large and small, found objects, a book of dreams and a scent I’ve specially created for the exhibition. Cubby invites a re-evaluation of the surrounding world and the constructs employed to define and confine it. Cubby is an enigma, an introspection. Rather than elucidate, cubby explores the profound ambiguity of what our existence through the demarcation between what the mind thinks, feels and sees. Photography by Annikaka fcaloudis

Removing sight forces us to engage with our other senses, in our truest animalistic form.
Does being acute to your senses mean you’re more aware of the direct emotional response? Does the heart beat faster or do you sweat more? Do you move with speed or do you slow down? Using our bodies in a different way to absorb the information around us.

FEAR SCENT COMPOSITION
Ionone Alpla The ionones are a series of closely related chemical substances that are part of a group of compounds known as rose ketones, which also includes damascones and damascenones. It smells like a red frog. The fear of food and sugary sweets.
Galaxolide Its odor is described as a clean, sweet, floral, woody musk. Research has shown that it is in particular one of the most powerful musk notes, with odor thresholds of 1 ng/l or less. This means by itself it can be extremeley hard to smell. Once given instruction to smell, it may instill panic of anosmia. (Loss of smell)
Castoreum 10% A yellowish exudate from the castor sacs of mature beavers. Beavers use castoreum in combination with urine to scent mark their territory. This is an intoxicatingly pungent smell. Smells like rubbish or known to smell like a running sewer.

C12MNA 10% An aldehyde. Fatty Warm and Sour, extremely uncomfortable smell on it’s own.
Skin Accord I created this closely mimicking sweaty skin. Pheromone based. An animalic accord consisting of
Iso e super super 0.15
Indole 10% 0.01
Nerolin yara yara 20% 0.10
Melanol 0.06
Fructone 0.10
Jasmone Cis 10% 0.15
Castoreum 50% 0.08
Methyl Anthralite 50% 0.07

Research Scent series [2022] documented by Constantine Virtanen

Scent series [2022] documented by Constantine Virtanen

HOW DO WE VISUALISE SCENT?

The Scent Wheel

The fragrance wheel was created to explore the intricacies of fragrance families. Olfactory families do not exist in a singular vacuum, they have a relationship with each other complementing other families in unique ways which are then grouped together through their similar characteristics.
The first scent wheel was created around 1949 featuring fragrance families and subcategories in a circular formation demonstrating the transition from one into the next and how opposite scents can work together, like complimentary colours. The historical scent wheel has a system set in place in order to make traditional and conforming scents, abiding by the structural rules.
The data mapped scent wheel by Xtrascentsory has been created to demonstrate the various links between olfactive families, individual scents and single molecules found in larger molelcular structures.

Usta, hosted by Cleopatra’s Bling creative director, Olivia Cummings, is an exhibition offering multi-sensory engagement with design techniques from the historical Mediterranean and Middle East, as well as Kabulwarnamyo, West Arnhem Land. On display are household objects, jewellery, and perfumes, all crafted by Cummings and collaborators using ancient techniques from the region. Scents are inspired from the Silk Road trade some of which date back to ancient Egyptian times.