Resonance:
An olfactory journey through rituals and the enduring power of connection
This dining experience is meant to target the senses often overlooked by our visually dominant world, in an effort to slow the viewer down so they can connect more with what’s in front of them. As our cities continue to modernise and attempt to synthesise nature, the aromas of their original landscapes become masked by the urban machine. Understanding and thinking about scents can teach us a lot about our surroundings. Influenced by rituals of the past as a way to pay homage to the Earth, this project can also be a tool for coping with ecological grief.
How does it work?
The dining table is set with various props and 12 distinct scents in their respective vessels, each inspired by an ancient culture and their practices relating to the earth. The viewer is asked to sit down at the table with a partner and follow the guide by taking turns smelling each vessel. There is also worksheet that helps the participants track the scents as well as prompts aimed to help them acknowledge subtle layers of scent as well as their potential interpretations. Zines with visuals based on different ancient cultures and deities are provided for the participants to relate their experience to if they wish.
Elements
All materials are either salvaged, up-cycled or thrifted