El Arte del Perfume 1889 — 2014 / The Art of Scent 1889-2014 is the first major museum exhibition to recognize scent as a major medium of artistic creation and fifteen artists who work in this medium. The exhibition is a revised version of The Art of Scent 1889 - 2012, held at New York Museum of Arts and Design between November 2012 and February 2013. It is the first major museum presentation dedicated to the design and aesthetics of olfactory art. Starting from the late 19th century, when the introduction of synthetic molecules freed scent artists from the constraints of natural materials, the exhibition charts the major stylistic developments in fragrance design to the present day.
The exhibition focuses on twelve works made between 1889 and 2014, and will include Jicky, created by Aimé Guerlain in 1889; Ernest Beaux’s Chanel N° 5 from 1921; Jean-Claude Ellena’s Osmanthe Yunnan from 2006; and Daniela Andrier’s Untitled, created in 2010.
Each scent was selected by curator Chandler Burr to reveal the evolution of aesthetics in the medium or to illustrate major innovations in scent design. Among the innovations was the introduction of synthetic raw materials, which appeared in the late nineteenth century. Before then, the creation of scents was limited to only natural ingredients; synthetics transformed artisanal products into works of art.
Each scent is presented as a unique artwork, rooted in its respective cultural history and described in art - historical terms, much as we would expect a painting or piece of music to be presented to us.
The Art of Scent 1889 — 2014 offers insights into the creative visions and intricate processes of noted perfumers by presenting 8 fragrances.
Romanticism. Jicky by Aimé Guerlain for Guerlain.
Modernism. Chanel Nº5 by Enest Beaux for Chanel.
Surrealism. Angel by Olivier Cresp for Thierry Mugler.
Neo-Romanticism. Prada Amber by Carlos Benaïm, Max Gavarry and Clément Gavarri for Prada.
Photorealism. Eau de Lierre by Fabrice Pellegrin for Diptyque.
Contemporary Figurative. J’Adore l’Absolu by François Demachy for Dior.
Neoclassicism. Acqua Universalis by Francis Kurkdjian for Maison Francis Kurkdjian.
20th Century Retro. Aura by Emilio Valeros for Loewe.
Different lectures and workshops will complement the exhibition.
The Art of Scent 1889 — 2014
Where.- Círculo de Bellas Artes, Madrid.
When.- from 21st November 2014 to 4th February 2015.
