The exhibit Hyper-Natural: Scent from Art to Design will open at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne later this month. Hyper-Natural is curated by Chandler Burr and the sponsors include Guerlain.

A maze of clustered clouds will offer a sensory exploration of scent design when an installation and exhibition by New York curator of olfactory art Chandler Burr opens in the back garden of the NGV this Spring.

Hyper-Natural: Scent from Art to Design will present seven small scent stations shrouded in man-made clouds and scattered throughout the NGV’s garden. Each station will house one of seven specially selected synthetic scent molecules and be paired with a major olfactory work of design, or perfume, in which that molecule is a vital design element.

These seven molecular scents tell the story of olfactory design and innovation, offering visitors a visceral exploration of this little considered design medium. The experience begins with the first molecule created in the 1850s and weaves its way through the misty landscape to the sophisticated molecular scents of today. Chandler Burr commented, ‘In Hyper-Natural we consider the beauty of synthetics and their ability to free the designer from the constraints of nature, allowing for previously unimaginable designs, that introduce abstraction, surrealism and photo-realism to the design medium.’ Director of the NGV Tony Ellwood commented, ‘Like any art form or design discipline, the creation of a scent results from curiosity, experimentation and innovation. Yet, perfume and scent creation is rarely appreciated as the thoughtful design process it is. For this reason we are thrilled to be presenting the first Australian exhibition to recognise scent as an important medium of artistic creation and design production.’

Hyper-Natural: Scent from Art to Design will run from 25 September through 30 November in the Grollo Equiset Garden at National Gallery of Victoria, 180 St Kilda Road. Admission is free; Chandler Burr will also be giving two talks, see website for details.

(via press release, additional information via ngv.vic.gov.au)