the.scentinel

I finally got the chance to see Chandler Burr’s scent exhibition at the MAD. While there are a whole bunch of people who have blogged about this experience and have their opinions (good and bad), mine was a short learning experience filled with absolute gratitude. Why? Well, because this was the first time I had every seen anything like this and while the perfumes were nothing new to me, I appreciated the thought that went into creating a scented space such as this. 

I went with my darling Ashley, who had been kind enough to host my entire stay in New York (thanks babe, you’re the best!)

As soon as the elevator doors opened, the blend of all scents hit us in the face and we looked at each other and smiled. As if we both had been struck by some beautiful force, giving us chills, instant gratification, and a whole lot of excitement. 

The Star Wars-esque introduction text on the ground was appealing and a good way to start the exhibition. Twelve perfumes -  from Jicky to Untitled…I wish there was more! 

The scent-diffusion technology was interesting; some guy came up to us at one point claiming he had “a great nose for these things” and practically said that none of the perfumes ‘smelled the same’. Even though we didn’t disagree, it is important to point out that because these perfumes were not in liquid form (and specifically formulated for this kind of diffusion technique), of course they smell different! It’s all about the delivery.      

Another way to smell the perfumes was available: by placing smelling strips in clear vats, all in a row on a long transparent table.

The silica scent-infused balls would shoot out each scent in intervals. While I thought the look of it all was a little strange (butt hole pods anyone?), I loved the ‘sound of breathing’ that was produced as a result. I found it to be quite meditative. 

Also, I would go back there any day just to see the wonderfully talented Sophia Grojsman’s creative process. I thought it was a great idea and it left me craving more! Trésor is one of my all time favourite perfumes, can you believe it was made over 20 years ago?                                                          

All in all, a great start to what I like to believe is a new direction for perfumery. Making it more accessible to the public is a way to shed light onto the industry. Yes, the perfumes are all commercial. Yes, they are best-sellers…but how many exhibitions have you seen about scent and the world of perfume? This paves the way for more. For the future development of interactive scent installations, for acceptance of the art of perfumery, for niche perfumers to showcase their independent works in a new fashion etc…

And let’s give credit where credit is due, it is still interesting to see Burr’s train of thought here. He constructed an olfactive evolutionary narrative for anyone and everyone. So it’s just the beginning people! 

I’m totally kicking myself for not being able to see the Art & Scent exhibition at the Dillon Gallery, if you get a chance to see it, go for it! You know it’s going to be good when Christophe Laudamiel is behind it! 

There have been countless reviews of Jean-Claude Ellena’s life and work. So this will not be another one of those! Just an encounter with one of the greats.

I had the great honour of meeting Monsieur Ellena while I was studying in Grasse. I can safely say it was probably one of, if not, the most important and gratifying moments of my life. Even though the encounter was brief, and we had a billion questions between the twelve of us, he made a lasting impression.

His advice was simple, concise and intelligent; all the attributes you can find in his creations. We visited his cabin/personal lab in Cabris, about twenty minutes away from Grasse.                                                                       He rounded us up around a table with lazy susan style ‘levels’ where he had all his ingredients in pure form. We went straight into smelling combinations of things we never thought would go together. The magic that comes with creating perfume is that aspect of telling a story, creating that illusion that will stay with you. He told us to focus on the juxtaposition of the materials as opposed to the percentage and/or proportion in a blend.

He told us to understand our materials, know how to describe them perfectly, by using tactile words, figuring out their ‘shape’, their texture, their overall feel. Learn what they give to you and what you can give to them.

Imagination is the most important, you can create the story afterwards, the more free you are with yourself and the use of your materials, the more you will get out of them, and the better the story! He mentioned that he had made Un Jardin en Méditerranée in one week, because he had an idea and went with it. Here he put imagination, innovation and discipline all in one, and did a fantastic job! (shocking? Not so much!)

He goes to the limit of where he can go with his creations. Many of us had a problem ‘finishing’ a perfume, because we were never satisfied with what we made, even if everyone else thought it was great. I think it’s because we just want to keep doing our best. So my friend Ashley asked him ‘how do you know when a perfume is finished?’ He told us that some perfumes are finished, but not entirely, but the way to work with that is to create a connection with each creation. ‘One begins where one ends’ he said, if there were questions left unanswered from the previous perfume, you answer them in the next. It never ends really, you keep going and going, because you never run out of things to ‘say’. His goal is to be light, and to be present, that’s the most important.

I asked him about L’Eau d’Hiver (which I LOVED, almost to the point of obsession) because he created something warm within something cold, which I thought was genius. I wanted to know how he did that, but a true magician never reveals his secrets, but what he did tell me is that he loves to play. A man after my own heart! That is how it feels, when making a perfume, there is such a light playfulness that I thoroughly enjoy, and when he said that I knew I was on the right track. He put emphasis on playing with paradoxes, and to avoid redundancy at all costs.                                                                 Finally, he discussed the importance of sharing. Sharing your love for the craft, what you know, what you want to know. We need to continue to talk and write about perfume, we need to continue to learn.

He was sincere and honest, telling us if we aren’t satisfied with something we’ve made, all we need to do is start over. Keep everything you’ve created, you never know what you will need it for next, could be a good starting point to work another formula; a good reference. Or it could be your timeline, you can look back on it and see where you were all those years ago.