OLFACTORY LABYRINTH VER. 7

Facets of the Forest

space installation (2024)

DATE: November 1st – December 1st, 2024
CONTEXT: Art Festival “Akigawa Art Stream”, Tokyo Japan 
CURATOR/PRODUCER: Tomohiro Okada (Creative Cluster)
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[Concept]

This installation, a partially site-specific installation created for Hinohara Village in Tokyo, invites viewers to experience the fleeting and ever-changing moments of forest aromas. Each bottle gracefully moves around the observer, dispersing scents continuously via ropes that descend inside the bottles. The installation captures the shifting facets of scents carried by the wind, offering an immersive journey into the dynamic nature of olfactory perception.

The scent of forest encompasses an intricate blend of elements—wood, soil, moss—all interacting and shifting under the influence of seasons, weather, temperature, and humidity. These stimuli reach our senses as air and wind carry them. At one moment, a fresh coniferous scent might dominate, while in the next, the earthy aroma of soil might emerge. The olfactory sense often focuses on keynotes within the overall aroma, much like hearing isolates a melody from background noise. This installation explores and shares the complexities of how scents are perceived and processed.

The exhibition took place in Hinohara Village, Tokyo, a region of mountains, emerald-green streams, and a rich harmony of sacred nature and centuries-old forest life. This area has long supplied cedar and cypress to central Tokyo and continues to nurture future forests through forestry practices. The work pays homage to the enduring relationship between the village and its forests, as well as the dedication to preserving this legacy for generations to come.

[Medium]

Bamboo skewers, glass bottles, ropes, silk threads, fragrances, solvents

[About the Olfactory Labyrinth Series]

Olfactory Labyrinth is a series exploring themes of olfaction and movement. This version is based on ver.4, while ver.6, with a similar structure, focused on the theme of pheromones.

[Scents Used in the Work]

  1. Hinoki (Japanese cypress) from Hinohara Village
  2. Cedar
  3. The Earth Accord (original)
  4. Moss Accord (original)
  5. Coniferous Accord (original)