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Olfactory Translations and Interpretations Raewyn Turner
Rhythmic vibration is essentially harmonious sharing. This sharing is universally present in musical sound, colour, light and weight, patterns of plant growth, ebbs, tides and calendric rhythms, as well as our own bio- rhythms, breathing and heartbeat. (Doczy 1981)
From the time of the Renaissance we have reality is constantly being woven out of every centimetre developed technologies to extend the sensory capa- of fabric at its disposal, whether that be the stuff made of bilities of the body. Believing that we will find the materialist, evidentiary objects, or the stuff made of truth about reality as we delve ever deeper into the dreams. physical matter of it, we have embraced technolo- (Grech 2002) gies to measure, see, hear and smell beyond our I believe that cultivating an awareness of feeling bodies’ capabilities. The Jupiter-orbiting spacecraft and sensation as a powerful evaluation of the has been gradually transmitting to Earth the new environment would give more awareness of our pictures and data from its flight over Io’s north minds’ construction of reality. What we are pole: experiencing and feeling in an environment would We’ve had wonderful images and other remote sensing of become as valid as the rational assumption that the volcanoes on Io before, but we’ve never caught the only what is visible, measurable, and quantifiable hot breath from one of them until now. Galileo smelled the has the power to ‘explain’ why things are the way volcano’s strong breath and survived. they seem. In a recent discussion with an eco (Frank 2001) scientist he expressed the need for a recognition of the perceptual analysis in his work: The senses have evolved to furnish reliable knowledge of the world and contribute to our per- As a scientist I evaluate the health of an environment by ception of a whole reality which is based on corre- measuring isotopes in the soil, although my perceptions spondences and woven from many fragments as are far more accurate and complex.When I enter an well as inner connections. The correspondences environment I look at the way the wind blows over the that we make are to capture and assume regularities lake, the ways the animals move, the look in their eyes, the in a changing whole, but the pattern that we space between the trees, the ways the birds fly, the smell perceive is composed from a complex entanglement of the air, the feeling of the place. of patterns. Our view of the world is shaped by memory, Thinkers like Gian Battista Vico, Henri Bergson, Claude language, culture and anticipation, and is of our Levi Strauss, and others, show how the human sense of times. While our sense of sight dominates in the
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ability to understand our environment, the breath, like, reminds of ’, whilst at the same time the ‘previously associated with the life force, knowledge olfactory sense is one of the most powerful with and divinity’ (Classen 1998) carries information to regard to the retention and recall of material. us about the world. Rhythmic inhalation brings an Regarded as the sense of intuition, smell contains a abundance of smells and fragrances that prompt us whole world of uncultivated olfactory imagery and to create mind pictures around them. meaning which never has been and is not meant for the There’s scientific Knowledge and there’s human instinct perfume bottle . . . if our perceptions of olfaction were – our intuition, our sixth sense. For a couple of hundred expanded could we apprehend the world as a landscape years, the idea of scientific inquiry and objective truth of smell, as a spatial dimension through non-visual has been gaining strength at the expense of what we experience? know naturally. (Classen 1998) (Sherman 2002)
Our knowledge through smell requires develop- BACKGROUND TO THE ment through an understanding of our cultural ‘FOUR SENSES’ CONCERT histories. We must ask: What are these smells? SERIES Olfactory Translations What do they do? How do they contribute to the In my work, I am experimenting with light, colour, way that we perceive the world and our movement sound and smell to create multisensory correspon- through it? Our sanitized western world is dences in works of orchestrated layers of smell in perfumed and deodorized with many layers of performance, audio-visual works with smell, and olfactory experiences, where a level of intuitive smell-only works. The aim is towards making a confusion is acceptable; for example, most products simulated synaesthesia where each sensory element are perfumed with artificial compounds to disguise is a translation of information about the other. their own smell. Thus our environment provides an When brought together they affect the experience arena for much experimentation with the creation each of the other, and may create a more integrated of sensory illusions of correspondence and disso- experience of a subjective, physical experience of nance. Contemplation and reflection on the sensa- sound, colour and smell that has the potential to tions and perceptions of odour and the associated transport through pleasure and joy, a multisensory mind pictures may possibly open up new ways of experience unique to each person according to the understanding and perceiving our world. A recent associations they make. I’m exploring how we know discussion with perfumer, Louise Crouch, revealed the world and each other through the ‘unities’ of that her subjective experience of smell with its the senses; of smell, colour and sound in experi- associated colours dictates the creation of her work encing the outer world; how the inner imagination in composing perfumes. She furthermore has a affects perception, at the point where the sensory consistent colour association with numbers and phenomena and the ‘conscious’ are brought letters of the alphabet that assists her memory of together. My investigations include perception, around 200–300 perfumery materials she uses to fictional translations, misinterpretation and the create odour combinations, and she uses colour as compensatory mechanisms that sight- and hearing- well as smell to formulate perfumes for the com- impaired people employ to ‘see’, ‘hear’ and feel the mercial market. world, and whether an expansion of the senses Education and cultivation of the sense of smell could be brought about through the use of a may enable us to tap into a vast world of ‘imagery’ sensory substitution to allow for a simulated and language of odours that we are not yet aware of, experience in another sense. and have no language for. We tend to speak of smell In early work with light in music, theatre in metaphors and comparisons, for example ‘smells performances (contemporary music, dance, jazz, 105 68R 14turner (ds) 11/11/03 11:16 am Page 106
orchestra) where I layered light over sound in blind/deaf, of hearing, of breathing in and of visu- Turner improvised interpretations of sound and movement alizing the world. The projects were an experiment phrases, I was not aware that my colour-to-sound with creating simulated synaesthesia and the compulsion had a long history of experimentation imaginative ‘vision’ of association triggered by by other artists. The revelation that I was not the sensory factors. It is possible that one dedicated only one to seek a creation of a simulated synesthe- sense could be used for other sensory perceptions, sia came when I was introduced to William e.g. the shape of sound, the colour of smell. Richard Moritz’s essay ‘Abstract Film and Colour Music’ Cytowic describes the condition of synaesthesia as where I found in his opening sentence what I had ‘the rare capacity to hear colors, taste shapes, or been aspiring to create for many years – reference experience other equally startling sensory blendings to rhythmic visual works to explore emotion and whose quality seems difficult for most of us to connection in sound and colour.1 imagine’ (Cytowic 1995). Working first with coloured light and music with a rock and roll band from art school, my initial THE ‘FOUR SENSES’ intention was to use the contemporary music CONCERT SERIES medium and popular culture to make a change in The 2002 ‘Four Senses’ performances, the second the way in which it was experienced, and to address series of concerts, were created in collaboration the way in which the culture of youth protest is with artist/researcher Tony Brooks (UK). They packaged and sold back to youth. For 7 years from were performed at the Dorothy Winstone Theatre, 1975, travelling in trucks and buses with road crews Auckland, New Zealand, by the Aotea Youth across USA, Canada, Europe, and Australia, I Symphony Orchestra and included mixed ability translated the loud music into the deepest saturated dance group Touch Compass, deaf signing choir colour, after-images, coloured shadows, hand- Hhands, and sight-impaired vocalist Caitlin Smith. painted optical pattern projections, stop motion, Tactile cushions and balloons were available in the UV, the darkness, monotones, optical illusions, auditorium for those with hearing disability. contrast and emotional colour sequences. The The pre-programmed light states were created music industry had funds for equipment and with a lighting plan and a PC based stage-lighting lighting technology and Split Enz,2 the band that I program to make a light resource, along with worked with, fully supported my experimentation, smell, of multiple sequences and cues available for although my work (which I regarded as art) was use in improvisation; each piece of music had its regarded mainly as an embellishment, as wallpaper. own improvisation resource and structure. The Nevertheless, it was often referred to as an integral canvas of the orchestra was dressed in white, part of the performances, the reviews referring to underlit with ultraviolet light. Divided into sound ‘explosions of colour’, ‘like painting with light’. groups, each section was assigned a colour and its The symbiotic nature of it meant that my work complementary to achieve high degrees of retinal could only exist in the performances or in the stimulation, brightness, afterimage. This colour various video clips that we made for broadcast. mixing method was developed when working on Later, in 1997, my interest in using light was earlier projects, for example with the New Zealand rekindled when I learnt that the sun rings like a Symphony Orchestra (ENZSO, 1998) and the bell, inspiring me to make work again with sound Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (1984, and light connections, starting with ENZSO in a Australia). series of performances with the New Zealand I combined choices of colour and smell generated Symphony orchestra. by my perception of the phrases of the sound with The concerts for the deaf, ‘Four Senses’3 in 1999 UV light (bluish, white and uv) which is a base and 2002, inquire into the sensory worlds of the ‘note’ found in nature – the sea, the sky, in flame – 106 68R 14turner(ds)11/11/0311:16amPage107
Olfactory Translations and collage composition. The light collage thus Thelightcollage composition. and collage generation image movement affectedthecolourof theirvelocity inreal-timesothat of backdrop were blended intothe forsigning choir thedeaf andthe dancers members, orchestra of images Similarly, gestures withinaninteractive space. throughhis the‘scenes’ to‘paint’ conductor enabled which theorchestra coloured light, movement itintopaintingwith andtranslate body part totrack leading-edge technology music. pieceof throughouteach pitch, different of pre-selectedfragrances layering of inanimprovised orchestrated smell elementswere Thechosen ‘smellpitch’. tochoose from which plants of producesaselection which an equation and plants, aromatic of harvest timeof the seasonal to referral measurements, charts, intuitive drawing, themethodinvolved For theFour Sensesseries, dences between sound/silenceandlight/dark. somakingcorrespon- thepausesintodark, light, thesoundarecodedinto of Phrases light anddark. specificallyavisualexperienceof other experiences, with putssoundintoarelationship which drawing, inanintuitive thesound, of representation soundtolightby Iinterpret makingavisual sound. of music asadescription inpausesandphrases of music configuration istomakeamorphological flowers but isinvisible which tooureyes. to pollinators attracts and isalsothecolourthat •Sound Drawing of Brahms, Hungarian dances 10.Raewyn Turner 2002 Tony Brooks used sensors, cameras andother cameras Tony Brooksusedsensors, analysisof inmakingaperceptual step My first eid fdrns n ih’(Botany Online). darknessandlight’ periods of produces flowering but thesuccessive rhythmic have shown itisnotlightintensitythat that ‘Studies pollination. germination, seed production, intheprocessesof to, ‘veriditas’) itisconnected green Bingencalledthepower of of (Hildegard pigment-switch towhatever verdant matter lightactsasa that tothisisthenotion Central andsmell(memorylanguage). (signal), pattern colourandsound between lightanddark(rhythm), them– –asIunderstand relationships proportional tosmellinvolved translation finding My processof signalsfor pollination. plants, of colour patterning and asarethefragrance lightanddark, of intervals by areregulated for oursurvival, rely upon we which photosynthesis, everyday of chemistry nature becausewe nature are references mirroring and interpretations built on ment isaconstruction ourenviron- of andcomprehension The perception and night–photoperiodismistheway they day plantstorelative lengthsof of The response in New York intheperiod1914–21. apartment theArensbergs’ at who metupregularly andmusicians artists of area exploredby agroup rhythm tocreate insoundpoetrywasan intervals and usingphrases and soundtosilenceinmusic, of thereisaninherentproportion It seemstomethat (Doczy1981). andthearts’ inNature patterns create that relationships simpleproportional creations; shapeshuman innature harmonies proportional processof ‘Thebasicpattern-forming and dark. throughbothlight andinthevisualsense, sound, affecting theotherinadynamic visualloop. each sound, of toaninterpretation grammed andcolouredlightpre-pro- feeds andsensors, between live interaction video wasaplaycreated of Meaning inmusic isbuilt fromsilenceaswell as kinds oftime. used toapproximate thedistinctionsbetweendifferent primarily onintervals andhowvarying intervals couldbe writers andmusiciansfocused painters, elements, artistic In translating thenewunderstanding oftimeintoformal u seta htm n atrs andthe Ouressentialrhythms andpatterns, . (Richardson 1990) inside 4 68R 14turner (ds) 11/11/03 11:16 am Page 108 68R 14turner (ds) 11/11/03 11:16 am Page 109 68R 14turner (ds) 11/11/03 11:16 am Page 110
translate light signals into chemical or physical recently presented at the 5th Generative Art Con- Turner growth. Darkness, the period when the plant uses ference, GA2002, Politecnico di Milano University the food it manufactured during the light period, is (Turner 2002). of utmost importance. The paper and work resulted from the first stage Plants are genetically programmed to produce of an ongoing collaborative research with an flowers at just the right time of year, different at architect, Mirjana Devetakovic Radojevic (Faculty particular latitudes and altitudes, and so, to aid of Architecture, University of Belgrade), who is reference, I made a chart of the daytime and night- interested in generic architecture. The research time hours and latitudes of the pollination period for examines potential relationships between music and a wide selection of flowering plants that are available architecture and explores how music could be a as essential oils. I used the approximate central point source for generation of spatial forms, and vice of an area (mean latitude)5 where those plants are versa, whether architecture might generate music harvested for their essential oil, and the time of and smell. In the first stage of the research two harvest of those plants in that area, to find the mean different existing generic principles were daylight and night-time hours over that period.6 combined. In Spatial Forms Generated by Music – Having worked with Symphony Orchestras I feel The Case Study (Devetakovic Radojevic 2002), the that one of the best ways of experiencing music is graphic interpretation of the music served as a to stand in amongst the violins and feel the vibra- pattern for creating the spatial forms in the archi- tions in the body. In Four Senses 1999, I positioned tecture.7 Our project investigates the manifestation the audience in and around the orchestra. Initially of spaces and objects that are experienced in multi- the deaf people that I consulted were reluctant to sensory ways, as elements being generated firstly participate in an experimental way, expressing from the material information of, for example, the anxiety about the potential discomfort of, and amount of estimated light entering or the sound confusion from, the sensory stimulation. Careful to generating an architectural structure over a period work with sensitivity through this project, and of time which would determine the smell element careful to tone down colour and smell, I inter- (as in photoperiodicity). When the sensory related the colours and smells to the music, using a elements are put together they will (hopefully) schema of seven colours and seven fragrances. The create more integrated correspondences that may smells, consisting of single ‘flavours’ or pro- lead to different perceptual understandings of both portional mixtures of several essential oils, were real and virtual environments. chosen through a complex consideration of the factors in each musical piece: the composer’s life, In this experiment the Brahms Hungarian Dance No.1 has the proportion of orchestra used in playing the been used as an initial generator.The music is trans- piece, the history of the time and place it was formed into a sequence of linear drawings.The most written, the intention, the number, length and exciting part of this process is the possibility to explore theme of movements, rhythmic statements and the generated spaces. Represented just by their linear structure. frames, they allow full imagination of materialisation and possible functionalities of the generated spaces.The first POTENTIAL stage of this research confirms that there does exist RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN huge potential related to experimentation in form-gener- MUSIC, ARCHITECTURE, ation based on music. It is completed entirely based on AND SMELL intuitive concepts, almost manually, without any paramet- In Four Senses 2002, the music drawings, which I ric definition.The results are still in the domain of made to assist me in the translation of the music, ‘frozen’, static form, represented by their linear appear- were also used in a collaborative paper which was ance. 110 •Music Drawing Over Time Grid. Sound Drawing of Brahms, Hungarian Dances 10. Raewyn Turner 2002 68R 14turner (ds) 11/11/03 11:16 am Page 111
In the future, we intend to introduce some ambient artificiality and the way that the other senses and values like colour and light intensity, and language contribute to the perception of a materialisation, as well as the generation of integrated sensation. smell. In this stage, our intention is to examine introduc- In our globalised culture, feelings are cut out of the most tion of dynamics and effects related to the particular diverse areas of life and again, after being modified in music into the creation of spatial compositions. the cycle of media, fed into our consciousness.Almost (Devetakovic Radojevic 2002) unnoticed, emotions and perceptions develop second- hand, which seemingly explain our life or determine our Olfaction Only longings. Since the present is constantly reproduced and In the recent group exhibition False Emotions,at accessible in this way, it becomes immediately memory, the Kunstbunker Tumulka, Munich, November never being present.8 2002, I installed two olfaction-only works that consisted of copies of luxury perfumes expressed CONCLUSION from commercial smell-dispensing machines The translations I am developing are an exploration designed for use in shops and public spaces to of subjective sensory experience as well as relating
Olfactory Translations encourage consumption. Included in this exhi- to biological phenomena that involve the movement bition was the video ‘Breath’ that combined images of particles in mobility, respiration and photo- and sounds of civilized and desirable physical synthesis. The potential exists for deeper levels of comforts alongside the contrived luxury perfume. awareness in reflection by using smell to focus on A rhythm of respiration was video-captured in a the breath for evaluating our perceptions and luxury hotel suite; the sound (in collaboration with observations and to focus on and explore the flow Eddie Rayner) was made from the sounds in the of mind images. suite, the television, running the shower, lifts, etc., and taken into different frequencies. These mainly Reflection is the beginning of critical analysis, and non-visual works play with perceptions of sensa- learning to follow the breath provides a kinesthetic basis tions and constructions. I used the name of a for logical thinking.9 perfume, for example ‘Corsage’, to grow a mind Colour and smell may act as a portal to music’s picture around a smell, playing with elements of structures, nature, and the instinct of joy, ‘knowing the nature of nature from the inside as one with it, •Music Drawing, J. S. Wells ‘Vistas’, Queen Street, Mist Over Waitemnata. Raewyn Turner 2002 experiencing the self as matter being continuously transformed into spirit, feeling the waves of energy that are the universe . . .’ (Richardson 1990). I am experimenting with systems of correspon- dence as a way of negotiating reflective and subjec- tive connections between sensory experiences and the formative visual imagination. The experiences of reality provided by the senses are the constructions of the mind to an entangled, ambiguous wholeness. We may come to know the nature of light by looking at its actions, how it affects us, regulates all plant growth, and activates important life-sustaining events. Reflection on smell, uncontained like light, opens up new realms of associations to be explored beneath the visual dominance of our times. 111 68R 14turner (ds) 11/11/03 11:16 am Page 112
Every object well contemplated, creates an organ of per-
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