Art meets smell research

Artist Isabel Lewis and smell researcher Sissel Tolaas discuss their long-standing collaboration and how they integrate scent into their performances and create unique experiences.

Isabel Lewis is a performance artist and choreographer trained in literary criticism, dance, and philosophy. She was born in the Dominican Republic, raised in the US and is currently based in Berlin. Her work and research practices take on many different formats and transdisciplinary approaches such as listening sessions, guided walks, or so-called “hosted occasions”. Isabel Lewis was part of the opening event of Salon Suisse at the 2019 Venice Biennale with her performance “Urban Flourishing”.

Sissel Tolaas is a Norwegian chemist, pioneer smell researcher and artist currently based in Berlin. With a background in chemistry, mathematics and linguistics, she developed a “library of smells” containing over 7000 smell samples. Supported by IFF International Flavours and Fragrances, Sissel Tolaas established the Smell Research Lab Berlin in 2004.

In this episode, Isabel Lewis and Sissel Tolaas find words for the invisible and talk about the process of developing the “hosted occasions” they create together, which are performances integrating all the senses, including smell.

Article about Sissel Tolaas’ scent archive and laboratory (SMELL Re_searchLab Berlin) in the Journal for Artistic Research

More information on Pro Helvetia’s focus “Art, Science and Technology”