Marcello Aspria, who writes all the wonderful perfume book reviews on Now Smell This, has a great new article on Basenotes: Spending quality time with Isabelle Doyen and Camille Goutal:
I spent most of my three days with Isabelle - she trailed me along the streets of Paris in her (heavily abused, dented, damaged) little car - and we met lots of her friends, which was a great way for me to expand my network. She told me about her future perfume projects, things I can't and won't discuss here. She showed me raw materials and essences (which is what she teaches her students at ISIPCA once a week); we talked about perfume of course, but also about normal, everyday stuff, and art, poetry, literature. I'll try to give you an impression of what it was like to hang around with the creative minds behind the Annick Goutal brand...
There are pictures as well, do give it a read!
That was a great read. I can't even imagine a better vacation. I love the well lived in, comfortable look of their lab. And that perfume organ is nothing short of amazing. Off to order more books by Calvino.
The perfume organ! What fun, wish we'd all have been there (although ID's car would have gotten a little crowded).
Thanks Elle! Calvino's book “The Baron in the Trees” was also a favorite of Camille in her youth… Speaking of inspiration, Isabelle and I talked a lot about Caravaggio's paintings. She introduced me to the work of an artist called Ernest Pignon-Ernest (who has a fascination for Caravaggio too). He makes large paintings and charcoal drawings, converts them into posters, and then sticks them to walls in large cities (usually without permission), a bit like a graffiti artist. Check out his website: http://www.pignon-ernest.com/
I'm a serious jazz fan and actually have heard of Ernest Pignon-Ernest through Louis Sclavis' cd, Napoli's Walls, which was inspired by his works there. He really is an absolutely fascinating artist. I would very much love to see his South African works.
Elle, thank you so much for mentioning Louis Sclavis! I found this fragment from “Napoli's Walls”, live at the Jazz Fest Berlin (2003):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY0xBqp9ohk
GREAT stuff! I love it. Now I finally know where that wonderful track on the Pignon-Ernest website came from. Thanks again!
Glad you found it.
It's my favorite cd of his.