We were at RelazionEXPO, at Palazzo della Gran Guardia, for “Le Geometrie degli Attimi”, a session about emotions and the ways we relate to one another. Walter, from Exquisita, and I brought two experiences that use different media but felt close to me as we talked.
When we talk about our work, we often end up describing what we make. Hearing the story of the person in front of us lets us go back a little further, to the reasons they chose that particular profession, that way of expressing themselves. That is where I found common ground with Walter.
The medium matters, of course. Chocolate and scent call for different knowledge and skills. Yet I like to think that some of what we create comes from how we see things, the experiences we have had and the sensitivity we have developed. The materials we work with let us give all of this a form we can share.
In the workshop photographs, we are gathered around a table with scent strips in our hands. These images also show another part of my work: the moment when scent meets each person’s perception. I care about this moment because it allows me to listen and reconsider my own perspective.
Listening is also the starting point of my Scent Identity Design method. Before giving shape to an olfactory identity, I try to understand the story and sensibility of the person in front of me. My conversation with Walter brought me back to this part of the work, which continues to interest me every time.
My thanks to Ombretta Zulian and Fondazione Relazionésimo for making this meeting possible, and to everyone who took part for the time we spent together.
A particular thank you to Walter. I enjoyed finding, through his story, a sense of familiarity that does not depend on doing the same work. It is the memory I choose to bring to this Notebook.