The end of the year is not only a time for reflection but also for proactivity as I intend to use this period to secure opportunities and exhibitions for 2018 and 2019. I feel more equipped than ever to make a strong case for why Perfume as Practice is a viable and meaningful exhibition, and as ever I wish to extend my creative activities both nationally and internationally.
I have a fair few things confirmed for 2018 already and am reluctant to secure many more as I don’t want them encroaching on each other. There is one project, however, that I want to introduce and exhibit in 2018 – ‘Scents of our Time’
Scents of our Time uses scent in a responsive, immediate manner; reacting to social, moral and political issues facing our time; it highlights the capacity scent has for social comment and politically engaged activity, and provides an alternative to our preconceptions of what candles can be.
From a creative standpoint, I have already trialled the making of such candles in response to the various narratives that emerged during the 2017 UK General Election. With fragrances including ‘Magic Money Tree’, ‘One Minute Silence’ and ‘Climate Concerns’. Each fragrance utilises fragrances contextually relevant to the subject.
The candles I make will be exhibited in a manner that apes commercialism – each candle will be branded under a ‘Scents of our Time’ banner and at first glance the exhibition may appear simply as a collection of commercially available candles. However the intent of each candle will be revealed to an audience once they directly engage.
From a practical standpoint, ‘Scents of our Time’ might be a bit of a hard sell in terms of securing an exhibition venue. It is, after all, a rather immediate project that needs to react to news events on a daily basis if it’s to stay relevant. Perhaps attempting to secure a residency or an exhibition where I create candles in situ may be the most appropriate thing to do. Either way I believe I have a workable proof of concept, so let’s see if I can achieve my aims.
