The Art of Scent

 Last night I went on a tour of the first ever perfume exhibition with no bottles, no ingredients, no videos in the new olfactory arts department at the Museum of Arts and Design at Columbus Circle.

 The new exhibit, The Art of Scent is the creation of perfume critic and author Chandler Burr. I was enthralled with his The Perfect Scent a few years back.

 "The fundamental goal of the department is placing scent as an artistic medium alongside painting, sculpture and music" Burr said. "The greatest scents are not recognized as works of art, and the artists who create them are not recognized as artists.” Presented in 2 galleries, the first is bare walled except for 12 curved indentations emitting 12 perfumes from 1889 through 2012 by top perfumers like Jicky by Aime Guerlain, Chanel N.5 by Enest Beaux, L'Interdit by Francis Fabron...

 Drakkar Noir by Pierre Wargnye, Angel by Olivier Cresp, L'Eau d'Issey by Jacques Cavallier etc.

 These scent diffusion machines usually found at industry shows. When a visitor leans in an electric eye is set off causing a burst of fragrance that lasts 4 seconds. This highly interactive installation was designed by Elizabeth Diller (The Highline) of Diller Scofidio and Renfro.

 In the next room the same 12 perfumes are available in liquid form

 Labeled touches,the paper blotter strips perfumers use to dip into recessed wells of perfume on the glass table

 Are you dying to dip and sniff?

 It's tremendous fun and educational in the most sensuous way

 A pure experience without distracting glam packaging, glitzy stars or romantic videos we usually associate with perfume. Just your nose and your senses are engaged.

 There's a handy free guide on the perfumes and their creators.

 Plus the limited edition catalog out soon including samples of 11 perfumes on display.

 Chandler told us the US has a population of 300,000,000 and sells 50,000,000 bottles of perfume annually. France, with a population of 60,000,000, sells 60,000,000 bottles of perfume annually.
C'est comme ca!

Infused with perfume I stepped out the door of The Museum of Art and Design into Columbus Circle. Everything is glowing including me.

The Art of Scent is on till February 24, 2013.

2 Columbus Circle
New York, NY 10019