Art Meets Scent: 'Masterpieces and Perfume' by Noh In-ho
Creatrip Team
a year ago
In the book 'Masterpieces and Perfume', scent designer and art interpreter Noh In-ho explores the intersection of smell and sight in art appreciation. This essay and curation recounts how experiencing famous paintings with complementary fragrances enhances our sensory memory of them. The author shares personal experiences, such as associating Claude Monet's 'Water Lilies' with aquatic scents. This unique perspective was also shared in a 'scent tour' at New York's Museum of Modern Art, where visitors engaged their sense of smell to reinterpret paintings.
The book highlights how scents like those reminiscent of a summer ocean or pine after rain enrich our connection to artworks. By linking famous paintings like Jeong Seon's 'Inwang Jeseakdo' to pine scents, the book suggests that smells can be a key to unlocking emotions stirred by art.
This work isn't merely about introducing perfumes nor expanding art appreciation; it delves into how the intersection of senses allows art to penetrate deeper into our memories. Perfume acts as a mnemonic code, helping us preserve the emotional experiences unlocked by artworks. Ultimately, through scent, we retrieve memories and invoke art anew.
