London in Seven Scents (Exhibition Open from 16—24th September, Talk 21st September 2017)

Scent might just be the most powerful sense known to man. It can instantly alert, allure, disgust, or even transport you across the world.

With Material Board 07 we look at the power of scent, exploring how users might make and revisit associations in more immediate and emotionally charged ways.

We have collaborated with designer Amy Radcliffe and International Flavours and Fragrances, whose research explores in-situ scent capture, or scentography. With their help we have curated an olfactory map of London.

Released to coincide with Somerset House’s multi-sensory exhibition Perfume, Nirvana CPH’s Material Board 07, invites you to follow your nose through London’s olfactory story.

Good design and production is more than just tactile and visual experience: with this material board, more than a year in development, Nirvana CPH emphasises their love of the historical city that constantly inspires and surprises, but also a willingness to push the boundaries of creative production.

Accordingly, the design of the box makes reference to scientific methods such as chromatography, used to represent separate substances which make up complete mixtures. The dense heart of each of the seven areas of colour are located to correspond to the scents’ geographic location. Their gradiated layers spill across and interact with both each other and the hard edge of the box itself. The slipcase, covered with a dichroic filter, further emphasises the shifting, elusive and colourful nature of scent perception.

London in Seven Scents will be launched at Nirvana’s BEAST with a talk from Sarah McCartney (6-9pm, 21st September 2017) and accompanying exhibition (16—24th September).