A Wildlife

A Wildlife is a collection of three fragrances which act as agents for subconscious communication. The work investigates the consequences of design’s ability to trigger instinctual behaviour.

The fragrances are based on bodily odour created by the microbiome. Without the bacteria in the microbiome, humans would be unhealthy, non-social beings, hardly able to survive. Vital to immune functions, cognition and memory, affecting the microbiome is of interest to health sciences, commerce and politics.

Apply one of the three fragrances to the palm of your hands and rub them together until dry. Once the alcohol is evaporated, the scent is active.

This work was developed in 2019. Following the COVID-19 pandemic disinfectant dispensers are part of the public image and the hygienic consciousness has changed, only to amplify the fragile ecosystem of bacteria responsible for life, death and the wondrous journey in between.

Scents developed in collaboration with International Flavors and Fragrances Inc.

The three fragrances:

Oily Mud
In spite of soil's association as something dirty and undesirable, actinomycetes, the bacteria that grows in soil, boosts serotonin and dopamine levels. Oily Mud contains these fragrant microbes to decrease feelings of stress, melancholia, and impulsive aggression.
 
Blind Collision
To attract a partner, deer spread the smell of testosterone through their skin glands. Blind Collision contains those feral aromas to increase chances of attracting a mate.
 
Sour Tooth
This fragrance contains butyric acid, one of the strongest smelling microbes. Produced as a result of anaerobic fermentation, it is responsible for one's personal odour and broadcasts information about one's immune system, a subconscious attribute to feel attraction towards a partner.

Essay Dirt for publication I See That I See What You Don’t See published by Het Nieuwe Instituut on occasion of the Dutch contribution to the XXII Triennale di Milano.