PARIS – What occurs when sculptures and fragrances combine? Fascinating, newfangled four-dimensional creations.
That’s a essential takeaway from “Profile By,” an exhibition on show at Phillips in Paris till June 25. There, six artists had been paired with six perfumers from IFF to conceive artworks, which have been made in restricted editions of as much as 50. (Prices are on-demand.)
The undertaking is the brainchild of Diane Thalheimer, a perfume professional and artwork collector.
“From the beginning we created extraordinarily considerate duos – in phrases of character, persona and the potential hyperlinks that could possibly be created between the 2,” she defined.
Artist Joana Vasconcelos was partnered with perfumer Anne Flipo, as an example.
“I requested Anne to assist me make a fragrance that was associated to the seven chakras,” mentioned Vasconcelos. “I discovered the dimension of scent to be very religious, as a result of it really diffuses in area and fills it.
“Lança Perfume”
Courtey of “Profile By”
“Yet the sculptural facet could be very bodily; it’s one thing that exists in the primary dimension. While the scent is one thing a bit like music,” she continued. “We are all marked by physicality – by our physique – but in addition by our fragrance. It is a part of our id.”
The artist discovered the undertaking fascinating to work on, not least as a result of it used the inverse course of to how she usually envisions her art work – dreaming up sculptures to fill giant areas. At Phillips, her small, colourful crocheted oeuvres, with six protruding branches, referred to as “Lança Perfume” (or “Spear Perfume”), dangle from the ceiling in slightly, makeshift room.
“Here, [the sculpture] could be very small but it surely diffuses fragrance in the whole area,” mentioned Vasconcelos.
Flipo mentioned every chakra corresponded to a sequence of olfactive elements, and that Vasconcelos went for these which might be essentially the most upbeat, after visiting the IFF workplace and reviewing Flipo’s palette of scent notes.
“The [fragrance] method isn’t very lengthy – there are 17 elements,” she mentioned, of the recent incense perfume that was created.
Vasconcelos scented every ceramic piece that’s lined with crochet.
“Now, I’ve the impression that I’m going to place fragrance in all of the sculptures,” she exclaimed.
When Thalheimer approached Hubert Le Gall for his or her “Profile By” undertaking, he considered a topic that had been obsessing him: mythology.
“I preferred the concept of a vase, an object which accommodates the fragrance,” mentioned Le Gall. “I wished to make the fragrance of Dionysus. Dionysus resembles me essentially the most – I converse of loving life, dance, excesses, terrestrial pleasures,” he mentioned. “I name this ‘The Heart of Dionysus.’”
“Le coeur de Dionysos”
Courtesy of “Profile By”
The artist gestured to a cracked vase with two branch-like kinds on both facet. Those could possibly be interpreted in some ways – as two aortas leaving a coronary heart, a bull’s head with horns or life’s comedy (the facet sprouting inexperienced bulbs) and tragedy (the facet reduce quick), as an example.
Le Gall advised perfumer Jean-Christophe Hérault that he wished a carnal scent.
“I didn’t need one thing floral, delicate. I wished one thing that spoke of all that… of an uninhibited god,” mentioned Le Gall.
“I like historical past and antiquity – it’s a interval I discover extraordinarily wealthy,” mentioned Hérault, who was reminded of “Letters from a Stoic” by Seneca. From there he was guided in the perfume creation by the duality of stoicism and extra.
“I used fragrant essences that we may have discovered throughout Antiquity in completely different kinds,” he mentioned, naming the likes of myrtle, myrrh, marjoram, oregano, mint and thyme. “It’s one thing extraordinarily sensual.”
“Aromatic and sexual,” added Le Galle, whose vase accommodates the scented ceramic ball.
Another work was created by artist Pablo Reinoso and perfumer Domitille Michalon-Bertier, who’ve identified one another for greater than 15 years. Before partnering collectively on the “Profile By” undertaking, Michalon-Bertier visited Reinoso’s atelier. Next they started smelling uncooked elements.
Reinoso had saved in thoughts a males’s scent, which diffuses horizontally, that IFF had formulated however by no means marketed. From there, Reinoso and Michalon-Berier got here up with a woody luminous perfume.
Reinoso mentioned it was sophisticated to combine fragranced ceramic into his sculpture made out of chestnut wooden, referred to as “Rocking Me.”
“It’s this concept of continuity that made me consider this serpentine area,” mentioned Reinoso, who wished the murals to have the ability to transfer barely, capturing the concept of the motion of somebody carrying and giving off the scent of fragrance. “Technically it appears easy, but it surely’s very, very tough to do that piece as a result of there are three circles touching the bottom.”
Perfumer Nicolas Beaulieu labored with sculptor Daniel Firman on a undertaking involving lifelike bronze arms holding a fragranced ball of ceramic, referred to as “Saisir l’not possible (l’échappé)” (or “Seize the Impossible (Escaped)”).
“I assumed this concept was extraordinarily poetic,” mentioned Beaulieu, including not solely was the concept in regards to the fleeting nature of perfume, but in addition about destiny’s incontrollable nature.
He and Firman opted to work with the notion of a cloth nonexistent in perfumery – burnt wooden that’s chilly. They started by utilizing citrus oil to specific inexperienced wooden, a observe of flint stone and an accord of vetiver, cashmeran and oak wooden absolute, and a sandalwood observe from New Caledonia.
“There is one thing very addictive,” mentioned Beaulieu of the despatched.
Nearby stood the creation of perfumer Juliette Karagueuzoglou and artist Ori Gersht, entitled “Never Ending Journeys 01, 02, 03.” It features a white flower, woody scent.
“Never Ending Journeys 01, 01, 03”
Courtesy of “Profile By”
Images of flowers function in this art work, proven across the round base that’s mirrored in a mirrored cylinder. The fragranced ceramic takes the type of a spherical globe sitting atop it.
“His favourite flower is the Madonna Lily, so I began with that,” mentioned Karagueuzolglou, talking of Gersht.
Perfumer Paul Guerlain teamed with artist Adel Abdessemed on a sculpture resembling a lady’s foot with its heel on a ball.
“Noli me tangere”
Courtesy of Profile By
“He spoke of Nice, sand, air, wooden and fireplace,” mentioned Guerlain, who put collectively olfactive accords accordingly for a rose oriental scent that fragrances the oeuvre “Noli me tangere” (or “Touch Me Not”). “It was hyper fascinating to work with somebody from one other universe, who expresses himself otherwise and arrive at this.”
For extra, see:
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