Smell or olfaction is the ability to detect
scent, chemical, odour molecules in the air.
Monika Ghurde, a perfumer and researcher, is mesmerised by this
wonderful sense and will be conducting a workshop for children to understand it
better. The workshop that will be conducted at Sunaparanta – Goa Centre for the
Arts, Altinho is designed to educate children in the age group of 8 to 12
years.
How does Monika describe the sense of
smell? “Each day, we breathe about 23,040 times and move around 438 cubic feet
of air. Our sense of smell is feeding us information all the time and is a
powerful tool for communication. A deeper understanding of this sense is
important in order to be more conscious of the possibilities it offers and its
powerful capacity,” she says.
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Speaking about the very first workshop of
its kind in India that will be held on August 8, 2015 in two batches, Monika
says “I don’t think there has been any initiative of this nature focused on our
sense of smell. Participants should look forward to a completely new and
different experience. This smell workshop is designed to educate children to
subconsciously start focusing on their sense of smell. It will make them aware
and alert to their surroundings and enrich their everyday life and
experiences.” Those interested in participating will be sent a list of things
to follow before they attend the workshop, which requires a peaceful place with
no strong smells.
Monika had recently conducted a workshop at
the Tinguely Museum, Basel and this workshop will be an extension of it. It’s
an initiative started by Odour artist, Sissel Tolaas to educate children around
the world about their sense of smell. After the workshop at Basel, Monika
thought of doing something in Goa. “I spoke to Sissel and we reworked the
format of the workshop and added few more contextual smells for India. We are
both very excited to see the response from the children for the same. We
received amazing response in Basel, and I am grateful for all the support
extended by Deepti and Dattaraj Salgaocar on this endeavour.”
With her own laboratory in Goa which she
calls Goaland, Monika enjoys her walks on the roads of Goa as it has its own
unique beautiful smell. “The most gorgeous gardenia, Jasmine, Chameli,
Parijatak, Sonchafa along with the freshness of green notes and fruits all year
long, it’s really a paradise from a perfumer’s point of view. I am never out of
ideas when I am working here.” She is
working on a project with a New York based curator and in Europe, with Sissel
Tolaas. “She is one artist whose work has really changed my perceptions and
added so much more meaning and depth to what I am doing. I am looking forward
to what’s coming next on that front.”
The next workshop Monika will be conducting
is ‘The invisible You’, an adult workshop, which will be more elaborate
(scientifically as well as academically) as she believes there is lot more to
learn, share, create and add to our collective consciousness.
So what is the favourite perfume of this
perfumer who has everything from contemporary new releases to vintage perfumes?
“My current favourite is a fragrance created by one of my dear friends and
contemporary perfumer, Bertrand Duchaufour, for a niche brand in Europe. It’s
not coming out in the market till March next year, so I am really the only
person in the world wearing it. I have it in a ‘non-glamorous’ bottle with a
handwritten number on it, from his lab in Paris. It’s a beautiful fresh rosy
cloud of a fragrance,” concludes Monika.
