Art Olfaction Amsterdam
July and August, 2018
Mediamatic and the Institute for Art and Olfaction (IAO) team up for a summer program in Amsterdam, exploring innovative topics around olfaction.
Both Mediamatic and IAO have an organizational focus on exploring future outcomes and contemporary applications in science, art, and the senses. Between July 14 and August 15, 2018, the IAO’s Los Angeles team will be in residence, in the first part of an ongoing collaboration between the two organizations. Through thematic collaborative programming at Mediamatic’s Oosterdok waterfront location, we will combine our interests and communities to investigate new models for intellectual property, to celebrate radio storytelling, to explore scent-making, and much more.
With special thanks to our partners: International Flavors & Fragrances Inc., Pochpac, and dublab.
With further support from: Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst, and Stimulerings Fonds Creatieve Industrie
Stichting Mediamatic
Dijksgracht 6
1019 BS Amsterdam
+ Directions
PAST EVENTS
Ongoing – Visiting Hours
With Julianne Lee, Kendra Gaeta, Maxwell Williams, Saskia Wilson-Brown
Wednesdays, Thursdays + Saturdays from July 18 – Aug. 11, 2pm – 4pm (CET)
Explore materials and strategies for working with scent in our drop-in experimental scent laboratory with the Institute for Art and Olfaction team.
–
Open Sessions
Scent-making open sessions for all levels and interests.
at Mediamatic Aroma Lab
We’re bringing our open sessions to Amsterdam! Started in 2013, open sessions are a big part of the IAO’s mission to provide access to the tools and materials of scent, designed to help the public familiarize themselves with scent as a creative practice through self-directed experimentation. Spend some time smelling the materials in our experimental scent organ, select up to five materials, and start blending! Everyone leaves with a small spray bottle of your scent, and a lot of knowledge.
Time: Our open hours are 4:00 to 8:00 pm. We recommend planning for a 2 hour experience.
Level: All levels welcome
Dates: July 18, 19, 25, 26, August 1, 2, 8, 9
–
Ongoing – Experimental Perfumery Workshops
at Mediamatic, Amsterdam
Always wanted to learn how to make perfume, but didn’t know where to start? In this 3 hour intensive, Saskia Wilson-Brown guides you through the important first steps of perfume blending. Learn about the history, modern industry, and contemporary experimental practices with scent. Get important knowledge about aromatic materials, lab safety, and spend time smelling (and discussing) a curated selection of molecules – and, most importantly, embark upon the first steps of becoming a perfumer.
Dates: July 20, 27, August 3, 10
–
Opening Party
at Mediamatic, Amsterdam
To celebrate the start of our four-week smell culture program, we invite you for the festive opening on Saturday July 14th. Join us for a Olfactory quiz, aromatically inspired music, to meet the IAO team, and to say cheers to Art Olfaction Amsterdam.
Time: 8:00pm to 11:00pm
Date: July 14, 2018
–
Playhouse: How Not to Hurt Yourself
at Mediamatic Aroma Lab
Always wanted to set up your own at-home perfume lab? Great! Let’s show you how. Join the IAO team to learn the basics you really need to know, including how to make solutions, working on a scale, health and safety, and much (much) more.
Time: 7:00pm to 9:00pm (CET)
Date: July 16, 2018
–
Scentless Apprentice Radio Show
With Maxwell Williams, Special Guests
In partnership with dublab
A four part bricolage radio show, taping live on Tuesdays. This episode: Scents and Sensuality. Smell and carnal knowledge are bound together in the limbic system of the brain. We investigate that primary connection.
Location: Watch live at the Mediamatic Tuinkamer (Garden Room) and Online!
Times: 5pm – 7pm (CET) / 8am – 10am (PST)
Dates: Tuesdays between July 17 and August 7, 2018
July 17 – Episode 1. Foul Play – LISTEN ONLINE
July 24 – Episode 2. Knock-Off The Old Block – LISTEN ONLINE
July 31 – Episode 3. Scents and Sensuality – LISTEN ONLINE
August 7 – Episode 4. On the Scent – LISTEN ONLINE
–
Olfactory Wikithon
at Mediamatic (Amsterdam), The Institute for Art and Olfaction (Los Angeles)
Bring your laptop and your writing skills as the IAO, Mediamatic, and partners across the world lead a day-long, international Wikipedia editing session. The goal: Fill out and update Wikipedia information for perfumery and related topics.
Date: July 21, 2018
–
Intellectual Property and Scent Round Table
With Paul Keller, Jetse Sprey, Tobias Cohen Jehoram, Saskia Wilson-Brown, Willem Velthoven
at Mediamatic, Amsterdam
Join us in a public round table designed to explore new intellectual property protocols for sharing and attribution in perfumery and experimental scent creation. This day-long program will launch our ongoing Open Sourcing Smell Culture initiative by creating a set of topics, strategies and long-term goals.
Time: 10am to 7pm CET
Date: July 28, 2018
–
Natural Soap-Making Workshops
With Liza Witte
at Mediamatic, Amsterdam
During this workshop you will learn how to make your own natural soap from scratch. You are guided into making your first own block, and learn how to do it yourself. Under expert eyes of product designer Liza Witte, this 5 hour workshop covers a broad range of natural soap making, from material knowledge to how to transform oil into soap, to different recipes, smells and tastes. Using only exclusive, delicious and nourishing vegetable oils, this workshop uses no animal products, and is also suitable for vegans.
Time: 1pm to 6pm CET
Dates: July 28, August 4
+ LEARN MORE
–
Playhouse: Sex Smells
at Mediamatic Aroma Lab
Join IAO’s Saskia Wilson-Brown, Renske van Vroonhoven, and Thijs Elich, for an exploration of extractions with a definite blue movie twist. From enfleurage to expression (tee-hee), these three internal explorers will have you – and your body parts – well covered.
Time: 7:00pm to 9:00pm (CET)
Date: July 30, 2018
–
Aleesa Cohene Residency: Scent and Protest
With Aleesa Cohene
In a nine day residency that plays a vital part of the collaborative ‘Art Olfaction Amsterdam’ program at Mediamatic, Aleesa Cohene will further her ongoing investigations into the role scent plays into protest and civil disobedience, through hands-on experimentation with aromatic formulas to act as neutralizers for scent-based crowd control methods.
Dates: July 28 – August 8, 2018
–
Mon., August 13 – CLOSING EVENT: Play Party
at Mediamatic, Amsterdam
It’s time to celebrate the end of our scent-infused summer with a bang! Spritz on your favourite perfume, put on those dancing shoes, and join us for a festive evening and closing party of Art Olfaction Amsterdam. Play Party is a game-filled evening where we will end the night smiling on the dancefloor thanks to the scentual tunes by DJs Da Iguana and Okamax, with
6pm – Test Run: Het Parfum
Come early to test our upcoming project in development for Uitmarkt: Het Parfum. Participate, and get a free pizza and entrance to the Game Show in return. Help us develop our first interactive smelling game by spending 30 minutes of your time to play it, have some fun and give us your feedback. The number of participants is limited, so RSVP to secure your spot, pizza and Game Show entrance! Email to: workshop@mediamatic.nl
8pm – Kendra’s Smelly Game Show
The nose (and you) knows more than you think! Be amazed by your knowledge and compete in Kendra’s Smelly Game Show. Have you ever watched a spectacular game show and thought: ‘Hey, I could do this much better’? Well, now’s your chance. Step into this live studio experience and prove the power of your sniffer-whiffer!
10pm – After Party
Stick around after the Game Show and celebrate the end of a wonderful summer at our After Party. Grab the last chance to take part in the festival of pheromones, and become part of a sweaty body bouquet while dancing to the scentual tunes played by DJs Da Iguana and Okamax. Live scent track by Chiara Antoniacomi and Julianne Lee will keep you smelling fresh all night long.
Thanks for participating in our Amsterdam programming.
PRODUCING PARTNERS
MEDIAMATIC
Mediamatic is a cultural institution dedicated to new developments in the arts since 1983. We organize lectures, workshops and art projects, focusing on nature, biotechnology and art+science in a strong international network. At Mediamatic we are always looking for new developments in society. We are interested in how art, design and science merge and how we can use this to experiment with new (living) materials. We challenge the senses and tackle perceptions regarding food, waste and unconventional materials such as piss, bacteria and fungi. The processes involved are all based on sustainable principles, as we are happy to contribute to a circular economy.
THE INSTITUTE FOR ART AND OLFACTION
Founded in 2012 in Los Angeles, The Institute for Art and Olfaction (IAO) is a non-profit devoted to advancing public, artistic and experimental engagement with scent. We do this by initiating and supporting experimental projects that utilize the medium of scent, by providing accessible and affordable education in our laboratory as well as in partnership with institutions and community groups, and by celebrating excellence in independent, artisan and experimental perfumery through our yearly award mechanism, The Art and Olfaction Awards. Through these efforts, we extend the world of scent beyond its traditional boundaries of appreciation and use.
More programming details will be coming soon.
Questions? Email us at hello@artandolfaction.com