‘There’s otter poo, dragon poo …’ The woman who can make you smell everything, from hell to your grandparents
The right smell can send us back to our childhood – or much further. Scent designer Tasha Marks reveals the tricks of her trade
Should you wish to know what the cesspit of a Norman fortress smelled like, Tasha Marks has ventured there. Go to Rochester Castle, descend the dank steps and put your nose to the smell chamber. What rich delights await? It’s not just the stink of human excrement and urine. “We know that there was food waste in there,” says Marks. And animal waste. Marks says she is never sure what to describe herself as, but “scent designer, historian and artist” comes close. Where a perfumer blends alluring scents for the body, Marks creates custom-made odours for spaces – usually museums, galleries and historic buildings.
“I work closely with the curators around developing a smell,” she says. “They send me lots of information – it doesn’t have to be smell-related. I just want to know everything about it and begin to imagine what it might smell like.” From there, Marks works with chemists and perfumers, who help her blend aromas, and with fragrance libraries that have all manner of scents – including the worst. “There’s otter poo, dragon poo … there’s one just called ‘poo’.” It isn’t about authentically recreating a smell, she says of her evocative work: “It’s about storytelling.”
Continue reading...Date: |
Topics
-
The New York Times - Lifestyle
Fashion Company Clare V. and Home Goods Company Schoolhouse Mark Their First Collaboration
Bold colors and bright patterns mark the first collaboration between fashion house Clare V. and home goods company Schoolhouse.Yesterday -
VentureBeat - Tech
Why data science alone won’t make your product successful
The lean-value approach is a framework with the potential to change how technology teams integrate AI insight with strategic planning.1 hour ago -
The Wall Street Journal - Business
Your Company Is Watching You. And Probably Doing It All Wrong.
Employers often feel like they have to keep an eye on their workers, especially those working remotely. There are bad ways to do it and not-as-bad ways.Yesterday -
Yahoo Sports - Sports
Everything went according to plan at UFC 306 — except the fights
Controlling chaos can only be achieved by those engaging in it. Even still, what the UFC could control at the Sphere was pretty damn amazing.3 hours ago - UFC -
The Guardian - World
Hell on Middle-earth? The Rings of Power fails to spin streaming gold
Most expensive TV show ever is in its second season, but reviews are disappointing and audiences are staying away. The Amazon Studios chief, Jennifer Salke, seemed aware of the stakes when the ...8 hours ago -
The Wall Street Journal - World
Rest Is Part of Your Training
Young athletes and their parents often struggle to understand that.1 hour ago -
The Wall Street Journal - Business
Elon Musk's Quest to Make Men Great Again
A public version of Musk has emerged that embraces an idea of masculinity that is white and heterosexual, with money, success, power and female conquests.Yesterday - Elon Musk -
Inc. - Business
What Got You Here Won't Get You There--but 'There' Is Just the Beginning
To build an iconic company, it's not enough to improve as a leader. You need to transcend yourself.2 hours ago -
The Wall Street Journal - World
Crimea Shows What Ukraine Can Do
Imagine what it would accomplish if given the freedom to strike inside Russia itself.1 hour ago - Ukraine
More from The Guardian
-
The Guardian - World
Trump ‘safe’ after gunshots reported at his golf course – follow live
Incident occurred at Trump National Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, where ex-president was playing. Donald Trump has released the following statement after reports of gunshots being fired ...15 minutes ago - Donald Trump -
The Guardian - World
‘Catastrophe of epic proportions’: eight drown in Europe amid heavy floods
Storm Boris has caused rivers to burst banks and trapped people in their homes across Austria, Poland and Slovakia. Eight people have drowned in Austria, Poland and Romania and four others are ...5 hours ago -
The Guardian - World
Eight people dead in attempt to cross Channel, say French authorities
Investigation opens in France into deaths as David Lammy says UK could process asylum claimants in third country. Eight people died overnight trying to cross the Channel from France to England, ...4 hours ago -
The Guardian - World
Netanyahu tells Houthis they will pay ‘heavy price’ as missile hits Israel
Rebel group claims what would be first missile to have landed in Israel from Yemen, but no reports of casualties. The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has warned Yemen’s Houthi rebels ...2 hours ago - Israel -
The Guardian - World
South Africa school language law stirs Afrikaans learning debate
The DA party argues Afrikaans education will be harmed, while the ANC says law is necessary to redress inequality. A contentious South African education law has drawn furious condemnation from ...8 hours ago