Aromathèque #2

Speculative Sensations

How can we communicate with beings who may not share our senses?

11 Ara 2024

During our second edition of the Aromathèque, we will dive deep into the topic of speculative fiction. What does this word, which you see more and more being used, imply? What does it have to do with feminism, and are there tactile, fragrant, or taste elements to it?

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Aromathèque Poster Banner -

Together with artist Anna Hoedjes, we will learn more about the ins and outs of speculative fiction (formerly known as science fiction) She will tell us about her project:
‘𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔸𝕣𝕞𝕡𝕚𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕒 𝔾𝕚𝕒𝕟𝕥 - 𝕠𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕁𝕦𝕚𝕔𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝕒 𝔹𝕖𝕖𝕥𝕝𝕖’. An installation that imagines a future where Orion’s shoulder (aka the star Betelgeuse) has exploded and destroyed all satellites and electronic infrastructures on Earth. How will we reclaim physical and communal knowledge of the stars, to navigate our bodies through this world?

Reading tip: Octavia E. Butler: The Parable of the Sower (Translated in Dutch as: De Zaaier)

We'll discuss a fascinating question: Why did we shoot a golden record into space to get in contact with aliens, with only visual and audio information? What if these beings lack eyesight and ears, but possess a magnificent sense of touch, are covered in scent receptors, or primarily exist as tongue tissue? What would a record look like that also caters to these senses?

Frank Bloem

Frank Bloem is an artist who uses scent as his primary medium. He started his lab The Snifferoo in 2016 and creates scent art projects. From elephant scents for Artis Zoo to erotic pine scents for festival Into the great wide Open. He works with artist and museums and has a long term collaboration with The Embassy of the North Sea for who he made art projects and a perfume. For Mediamatic Frank has been active since 2017. From Collaborating on Odorama evenings with Caro Verbeek to giving scent and distillation workshops. Since 2019 he is the manager of the Aroma Lab that he set up together with Niklaus Metler.

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Presentation about different body smells and smell samples from the elephant intimate body parts. -

With: Frank Bloem

Anna Hoetjes

Anna Hoetjes is a visual artist based in Amsterdam. She works with video, installation, collaborative performances and lectures, often translating scientific datasets into tangible and tactile experiences. With her projects she aims to make visible the cultural foundations on which contemporary Western science was built, and how many valuable knowledge systems were cast aside in that process. By replacing dominant scientific narratives with speculative alternatives, especially focusing on space science and sci-fi, she imagines a history/present/future where womxn, non-colonial and non-human perspectives have been equally foundational in our understanding of science.

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Artist Anna Hoetjes profile picture. Copyright: Anne Hoetjes -

Information 

Wednesday11th of December
19:30 - 21:00
Ticket: €12,50
Student, kunstenaar, Stadspas: €8,50

Tickets