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Book cover of Peter de Cupere: Scent in Context: Olfactory Art, with a figure standing on a step ladder, upper torso obscured by smoke. Published by Hopper&Fuchs.

Peter de Cupere

Scent in Context: Olfactory Art

By (author) Peter de Cupere

$65.00

Publishing 1st Mar 2025
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  • The work of Peter de Cupere makes a statement about our experience of smell. He starts from the suppressed history of smells which, in our culture, still lead an almost ‘underground’ existence in comparison with the official, culturally celebrated sensual experiences
  • By exploiting the subjective, associative impact of smells, in combination with visual images, Peter de Cupere generates a kind of meta-sensory experience that goes beyond purely seeing or smelling. He paints with scents, produces olfactory objects and sculptures, creates video and live perfumances, makes scent drawings and builds poetic smell installations
  • He experiments with every possible use of smells like a contemporary alchemist. Though the whole of his work is about the perception of smells and how smell can be context and/or concept of the work - this book includes 500 artworks, 472 pages, more than 1500 illustrations and images, 22 images with 11 different scratch and sniff hidden smells
Full Description

Scent in Context is a unique document that witnesses the olfactory artist Peter de Cupere’s research, the origins and context of his work and practice, and that offers a view and presentation of more than 500 artworks. 7 authors, 472 pages, more than 1500 illustrations and images, 22 images with 11 different scratch and sniff hidden smells, all make this 3kg book a complete guide to discover the world of olfactory art. The publication will surprise and interact with the reader with soft and beautiful smells but in contrast might also shock while presenting intense or mind-teasing smells. Refine your nostrils when reading this book.

By exploiting the subjective, associative impact of smells, in combination with visual images, Peter de Cupere generates a kind of meta-sensory experience that goes beyond purely seeing or smelling. Plastic artist De Cupere paints with scents, produces olfactory objects, soap paintings and sculptures, creates video and live performances, makes three-dimensional drawings and builds poetic smell installations.

Text in English and Dutch.

About the Author

Peter de Cupere (°1970) is an olfactory artist who lives and works in Antwerp and Hasselt. De Cupere creates work intended to explore experiences of smelling. As part of his olfactory art practice, De Cupere explores technology. He invented the "Olfactio" in collaboration with Cartamundi. In collaboration with Gluon, Callebaut and chocolatier Patrick Mertens, he invented "Cocoa 5 Senses". Starting in 1997 and going on until 2004 he invented the first working scent piano, called Olfactiano. The Aesthetics of Smelly Art. In 2012 he invented The Blind Smell Stick and The Blind Smell Touch, these smell devices let the spectators find their way or experience objects and food just by smelling. It was exhibited for the first time in the World Creativity Biennale in Rio de Janeiro in 2012. Peter de Cupere is a tutor affiliated with the ″PXL-MAD School of Arts″ in Hasselt, Belgium and a researcher. He has done a PhD research and received his doctor title at the PXL MAD School of Arts in Hasselt, BE, in collaboration with the University of Hasselt, BE and the Free University of Brussels, BE. He has two master's degrees and a Laureate degree in Fine Arts. As a tutor he is the joint founder of the Open Lab where he teaches the use of the approximative senses, smell, taste and touch in the Senses Lab. In 2014 Peter de Cupere wrote The Olfactory Art Manifest. On August 11, 2014. After two years of intensively collecting his bodily smells, he got only a small bottle ‘Own Smell’ at his disposal. With this smell extract he signed the manifest. The manifest has been shown in several exhibitions; Belle Haleine, The Scent of Art in the Tinguely Museum in Basel, CH, as in the exhibition There's Something in the Air! at Villa Rot, Burgrieden, DE.

Specifications
Publisher
HOPPER&FUCHS
ISBN
9789077207338
Publish date
1st Mar 2025
Binding
Hardback
Territory
USA & Canada
Size
9.45 in x 11.42 in
Pages
472 Pages
Illustrations
1723 color, 47 b&w
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