Notes on scent

Location | City Museum of Umag 2016.

The work consists of a series of performances before an audience, in which my collaborator Darko Brajković and I lie down covered in a mixture of bay leaves, sage, lavender and lemongrass. Our breathing is slowing down, we are sinking into a dream and focusing on the smell of herbs. The herbs cover our heads, chests, torsos, and legs. We are relaxing and waiting for a particular memory to be awakened by the smell of herbs. We are lying in this position for 15-20 minutes. Then we get up and write down our experience in a blank book, while also inviting the audience to do the same.

I found inspiration for this work in Proust’s reflections on time and memory; he said that time relived is not lost forever and can be summoned through our senses. In this performance, we recall our memories with the sense of smell.