The invisible cloak: An olfactory experiment and tales of (re)enchantment

Abstract

If consciously wearing perfume is part of an identity construction process, then could a specifically designed olfactory costume affect the interactions of those wearing it with their environment or perhaps encourage performative behaviour? If so, could narrative components or patterns emerge from this olfactory experience? Perfume might often be described or advertised as enchanting, eerie, charming or alluring among others, scents however are rarely mentioned in fairy and folk tales, the realm of enchantment par excellence. In an effort to activate the human body and the surrounding air with a potential for narrative and explore the possibility of a relationship between scent, storytelling and performativity, I developed [___], an olfactory art piece that wafted through Athens, Greece over a period of four months (September–December 2021). [___] is a scent, given to twenty participants to wear, monitor and optionally document their reactions and those of their environment spontaneously. Following the experiment, discussions with the participants revealed compelling experiences and stories, performative behaviours, fictional accounts, characters and situations at the intersection of the mundane, the creative and the magical. [___], is a redolent experiment that explores potential relationships between bodies, smell, agency, costume, performance and (re)enchantment within the contemporary urban setting.