Gleanings from the World of the Senses
Armonía (Harmony) by Remedios Varo (1956)A peer-reviewed paper I co-authored with collaborators at the University of Michigan is published in the current edition of the Journal of Statistics and Data Science in Education (JSDSE). The paper outlines a pilot educational module at the University of Michigan that integrates machine olfaction into an undergraduate deep learning course. By combining
Bela Lugosi as Dr. Carruthers, a perfumer, in The Devil Bat (L),and Dr. Wallace Hume Carothers, a chemist, as himself (R). Thirteen is a lucky number. Why? Because thirteen years after posting "Bella Lugosi was a Perfumer: Strange Oriental Perfume" led to a light-bulb moment that may or may not be a matter of coincidence. Bela Lugosi portrayed a perfumer named Dr.
Image of Grey-Crowned Cranes by Frankie from Germany via PixabayPart I: The ArticleA novel line of seven perfumes is created by an eclectic perfumer. Each is named “smell” in a non-English language. The olfactive noun appears in calligraphic script on each of the labels with a foreshadowing twist. Ingredients in the formula are procured from the country of origin where the language on the bottle
Still Life with Guitar by Juan Grís (1920)Once in a while, I find an unconventional placeholder related to memorable text or art in the pages of a book I’ve read. Something that seems new to me at first. Then I remember why I left it there. Beauty in the bricolage of life exists even if life is showing its fangs on the day you find it. Two recently encountered items stand out.Item 1:
Interview with scientist Jonas Olofsson, author of The Forgotten SenseThere are many things one can say about The Forgotten Sense: The New Science of Smell—and the Extraordinary Power of the Nose by Jonas Olofsson. Exemplary is the first word that comes to mind as books written by academics don't always resonate with the public; no matter how remotely curious readers are about a particular
The orange flavor of Tic Tac Orange Mints unfolds like the experience of eating an orange out of hand. Flavor chemists want you to think of the real thing even if the candy doesn't have the same form factor as orange fruit. The result? Candy plays pretend, and our brain consciously plays right along with it because candy tastes good, inspires memories and is fun to eat. Mass-produced candy
Welcome to chemical anthropomorphism, where Ethyl Maltol attends acocktail party, meets a candy bar, and tries to help cousin Maltol make friends. Spritz your favorite gourmand fragrance and join the party. Bestread whilst eating cotton candy, caramels or a hearty slice of bread.Ethyl Maltol Goes to a Cocktail Party By Michelle Krell Kydd Cotton candy
Falco Riot, creator of Octyl Fora perfume, described the effect of his fragrant creation with a stale, twentieth century trope, “with Octyl Fora you're transformed into a living philter.” When questioned about the ingredients used in the AI-generated fragrance, Riot exhaled an aloof sigh, detaching himself from the question with another query in an attempt to appear avant-garde. “We're
Scene in an Indian perfume shop from The Scent of Earth, a short film by Amit Dutta (2021). The film captures the essence of episodic memory.The Scent of Earth by Amit Dutta utilizes stop-motion animation to explore the smell of rain on parched earth at the start of India’s monsoon rain. The narrator in the film articulates encounters with the aroma in childhood memory vignettes that
Untitled (c.1980) ©Paulina Peavey Estate / Andrew Eldin Gallery, NYCA Math of the Senses by Michelle Krell Kydd"It’s through sound that we enter the works, and that we travel across time." —Pascale Bodet, critic and filmmaker, on The Seventh Walk (Saatvin Sair) a film by Amit Dutta (2013) Assignment.Substitute another sense in place of “sound”. Deduct.
Stripped Cat by Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita (1924)Our story begins and nearly ends for a cat, introducing us to its peculiar owner and an unsavory trick he played on the feline with the express purpose of ending its life. Consider the following four points before engaging with the tale:№ 1: Cats. They’re an interesting subject because they’re cats. And they let you know it.№ 2: People. Always
Untitled Image by Joe Brainard (1942-1994)“If I’m as normal as I think I am, we’re all a bunch of weirdos.”—Joe Brainard, artist, poet and writer I finished reading a research paper that included children's evaluations of 17 hedonic scents. The authors, 28 in number, included the acronym "WEIRD" as a phenotype (an individual's observable traits) vs. a genotype (genetic constitution). If
How we relate to the smell of a perfume can change over time. I purchased Myrrh Casati by Mona di Orio in 2014. There was something about it I couldn't relate to, which is why it was relegated to the back shelf in a fragrance storage closet. After reading mixed fragrance reviews, the only tangible sentiment I had for the luxury perfume was buyer’s remorse. Ten years later, the
Some poems (in this case, a prose poem about bread by Francis Ponge translated by C.K. Williams) deserve to be consumed with their subject as an immersive form of sensory indulgence.The scent, flavor and texture of bread is one of the best antidotes for winter blues. Heck, it's the antidote for just about anything provided you have a big hunk of butter, and a cup of coffee or tea to go along
The many moods of Stella the terrier as she sniffsa variety of fragrance blotters on March 4, 2020.Stella isn't a typical Smell & Tell fan. She walks on all fours, has a superior sense of smell, and is quite curious when encountering novel scents. Stella has an interesting habit. She likes to smell fragrance blotters her owner brings home from Smell & Tell. Her reactions vary, but
"Remembering Nubia Through Scent" supports the work of Dr. Yasmin Moll in the Narrating Nubia exhibition at theDuderstadt Gallery at the University of Michigan. Scent references in literature connect us to emotions and memories embodied in ourselves and fellow human beings. We extract smells from text without realizing it, locating internal experiences in the brain and sense
Wheel of aromatic ferula resins or secret stink device?Teaching people how to evaluate the smell of an unknown material on a perfume blotter requires trust and a sense of adventure. This is true for novices and experienced attendees at Smell & Tell in Ann Arbor, which was highly evident at a recent AI-themed program.The sense of apprehension that’s experienced before blind smelling an odorant
December 31, 2023 marks the end of Odeuropa's research grant, which is focused on olfactory heritage. The scope of their work and what they're delivering for public consumption is a priceless foundation for future scholarship on tangible and intangible olfactory heritage. Dr. William Tullett is in charge of developing the Encyclopaedia of European Olfactory Heritage 
Craft offers a lingua franca between cultures. It sits outside the developmental narrative, which is mostly about catching up with the West. There is much to learn about the value of the object in different cultures as a way of sustaining meaning across time and space. Embedded in the object is the deep time necessary to master techniques for giving expression to the language of materials. As the
Spock smells "the spores" and sees the future.Smell & Tell | AI, Machine Learning and Smells! Date: Wednesday, September 20, 2023 Time: 5:30PM-7:30PM Location: Ann Arbor District Library (Downtown) Address: 343 S 5th Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 Phone: 734-327-4200You really need to think like a Vulcan when it comes to prognostication and AI. The future is unknown and as
Mark your calendars! Steffen Arctander isthe focus of an upcoming Smell & Tell at the Ann Arbor District Library.Inside the Olfactory Mind of Steffen Arctander Date: Wednesday, October 18, 2023 Time: 5:30PM -7:30PM Location: Ann Arbor District Library (Downtown) Address: 343 S 5th Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 Phone: 734-327-4200Steffen Arctander was a renowned
Steffen Arctander was born in Denmark on September 9, 1919. He is best known as the author of Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin, which was independently published in 1960. His birthday is the perfect time to reflect on his unique and atypical career. Arctander was one of the founders of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists of Denmark (Dansk Kosmetic-Kemisk Selskab) in 1955,
Bronx bakeries of my youth sold large, unruly hamantaschen. Eating them was a war between front teeth and a solid wall of dry cookie dough that cracked and crumbled with every bite. Elastic textures of apricot, prune and poppy seed filling offered little reward for the effort it took to get to the center of the triangular-shaped pastry. Taking a bite out of the holiday cookie eaten on Purim
Rebellion of the Flowers (1992, Millie Goldsholl) from Chicago Film Archives on Vimeo.Rebellion of the Flowers begins with the efforts of a farmer named Jan, who thoughtfully relates to working the land and growing a plot of flowers from seed. His relationship to the flowers is infused with spiritual reverence and humility, embracing the interdependent relationship between nature, the elements,
Imagine starting a class by saying "If you have a compromised sense of smell as a result of COVID-19 there's hope. The smelling exercises taught at Smell & Tell are related to olfactory calisthenics used to recover the sense of smell." Talking about smell loss isn't off limits if smelling exercises are integral to your presentation. It's a teachable moment even if no one in the virtual