Since its inception, two and a half years ago, The Institute of Art and Olfaction has  elevated the art of perfumery, supporting indie, artisan and experimental olfactive artists. In a multi billion dollar industry that’s often driven by the numbers– both in dollars and products sold- fragrance can lose many of the qualities we value most, its ability to stir memories and emotions– with just a dab of scent.  When the emphasis is put on ad campaigns, flankers and celebrity spokespeople as it is for a large percentage of fragrances on the market, something vital is lost… perfume as artistic expression. We are excited by the mission of the Institute of Art and Olfaction which is to encourage education, creativity, and excellence in fragrance.  More than their yearly award ceremonies, which give recognition to emerging and established perfumers through blind judging (Neela Vermeire, Yosh Han, Amber Jobin,  and Tanja Bochnig 2014 ; Ellen Covey, Isabelle Michaud,  Jessica Hannah, Luca Maffei and  Famous Deaths 
Creative Team: Marcel van Brakel, Frederik Duerinck, Wander Eikelboom, Caro Verbeek in 2015, The IAO represent a new era in olfaction

Saskia Wilson Brown

On June 15, the IAO is making its second and final move (for a while) into a 1,200 square foot store front space in Los Angeles’ historic Chinatown. In their new location  they we will be able to expand upon  their current class and workshop offerings,  continue hosting artists-in-residence through our IN_LAB program; start a lab-share program for visiting perfumers; provide a roster of events and talks; and curate and host exhibitions related to olfaction. They will also be able to expand upon our lending library and archive, with a reading and sniffing area that is open to the public three days a week. According to Saskia Wilson Brown, the founder and Director, “We are calling upon our community to help support this expansion – and the possibilities it creates – in our second large-scale fundraiser. Our goal is to raise $7,000 by June 30. Funds obtained will allow us to make the necessary improvements to the space:

Architecture: Refurbishing and adding walls

Furniture: Two new work tables, shelving, and safer work-chairs

Materials: A good refrigerator, a larger selection of aromatics

Library: Expanding our library and creating a permanent library of historic materials

Adopt a Nose and help the IAO

With a donation of $75, $135, $175 or $250, or any amount you can give, you will be supporting the material needs of this new space, and helping the IAO fulfill its mission to create a global locus for artisan, independent and experimental perfumers, as well as for contemporary artists working with scent".

image courtesy of IAO

As a public thank you for your support and goodwill, they will create and exhibit a sculptural rendering of a historical proboscis, named in your honor and mounted at the IAO in a permanent installation. With the larger donations ($75-$250) named for Tycho Brahe (poor astronomer lost his nose in a duel and created a gold prosthesis, Cleopatra (her Greek nose may have been large and not the ideal of beauty but she seduced and almost conquered the Roman Empire), Cyrano de Bergerac, the great romantic poet, Nikolai Gogol Russian author whose character Collegiate Assessor Kovalyov woke up one morning without a nose and the Collabo-Nose which is when you send any amount you can afford and will be thanked whole heartedly. . Additionally, they will create several shared noses, with names marked for all to see.

image courtesy art and olfaction

Each hand-created nose is created by IAO creative director Micah Hahn and IAO founder Saskia Wilson-Brown at their studio in Los Angeles will be  cast in plaster and affixed to a 3″ square tile. Sponsored noses will be named after their benefactor and the noses will be mounted in the order they were received, affixed to a wall at the IAO in a semi-permanent installation.

Further Benefits:

Every nose adopter will be publicly thanked on social media (unless anonymity is requested)

Every nose adopter will be publicly thanked on the IAO website (unless anonymity is requested)

Every nose adopter will receive a 10% discount on classes and workshops through October, 2015

Your donation is tax deductable and the IAO accept many methods of payments click here.  In addition to my personal donation, ÇaFleurebon will donate $5 in the names of five  readers as part of the Collabo- Nose to leave a comment with what  the Institute of Art and Olfaction means to you or your favorite historical nose by 5/19/2015.

 Via The Institute of Art and Olfaction (all images courtesy of Art and Olfaction)

–Michelyn Camen, Editor in Chief