Our research and programmes initiated since 2019 aims to augment the histories that have flowed through Oosterdok, or Eastern Dock, through more embodied and sensorial artistic practices. The Oosterdok area was the harbour front of Amsterdam and plays a crucial role in the city's growth since the Dutch colonial period to present times. We are curious about what hidden narratives a history of the "intimate senses" might reveal and about the role of smells, tastes and touch in the development of a city. Get nosy and dive into our ongoing research and artists' projects in this blog!
The viscerality and embodiedness of olfactory experience are unrivaled by other senses. We introduce to you the role of smell in the formation and recall of memories and its affective powers in our society.
Oosterdok is a body of water in Amsterdam. Nowadays, the eastern dock plays a crucial role in adorning the Amsterdam skyline. It features proud contemporary architecture that stand stark against the pre-modern city’s core: the NEMO science museum, the Muziekgebouw, and the OBA library, to name a…
“Wow, it smells wonderful!” I exclaim as we enter the neighborhood bakery. “It smells, it smells so… nutty.” Hmm, that’s not quite the word that I wanted to say, I think to myself. Ever since starting my internship in Mediamatic, I began to realize the vast gaps in my vocabulary of smells.
This is the first part of a three-part series written by Iris van den Linden and Amber Striekwold. In this series, Iris and Amber fashion a conceptual perfume of Oosterdok. Like every perfume, their “Eau d’îles de l’Est” will consist of base notes, middle notes, and top notes.
This is the second part of a three-part series written by Iris van den Linden and Amber Striekwold. In this series, Iris and Amber fashions a conceptual perfume of Oosterdok. Like every perfume, their Early modern “Eau d’îles de l’Est” will consist of base notes, middle notes, and top notes.
