Community members explore olfaction

Why do certain substances have a smell and other things do not? What information or affects can be mediated by smell and smelling? What kinds of relations can we make with the world around us by tuning in to the fragrances around us?

These were some of the questions that a group of Concordia community members explored during the Urban Smellscapes workshop, hosted on September 21 by Media Studies MA student and olfactory artist Anna Sigrithur. The workshop began with a discussion on the chemistry, biology, and cultural aspects of olfaction. Then, workshop attendees engaged their senses of smell in a fragrant found object sampling exercise in order to begin to create a collaborative site- and time-specific Aroma Wheel of a Loyola campus greenspace.

The aroma wheel is a pedagogical tool that brings together embodiment and sensory perception and forms of semiotic and conceptual inquiry, therefore offering a rich jumping off point for students in multiple disciplines to be inspired to explore olfactory or sensory modalities in their own thinking. We invite you to join us for the next workshop; come and explore the possibilities for yourself!