Milwaukee-based Prolitec Inc., which manufactures ambient scenting and odor remediation solutions, is providing the technology behind five “scent sculptures” for the United States Pavilion’s “OfficeUS” exhibition at the Venice Architecture Biennale. The exhibition runs through Nov. 23.
Prolitec collaborated on the project with renowned perfumers Christophe Laudamiel and Christoph Hornetz, with whom the company frequently works on custom fragrances for commercial clients. In regards to the scent sculptures, the perfumers say they relied on Prolitec’s AirQ ambient-scenting technology because of the flexibility it provided.
“Visual artists need the ability to subtly control lighting, color and other elements,” Laudamiel said. “Likewise, in creating a scent sculpture, the artist must have the ability to finely tune the intensity level of the scent effect within a defined space. Prolitec’s technology is unique in that it offers this capability and diffuses the scent in such a manner that is always consistent and never overwhelming.”
Laudamiel and Hornetz interpret scent sculptures as complex fragrances built much like any sculpture of clay or bronze, with up to 80 ingredients from around the globe in the more complex scent formulations.
For the OfficeUS exhibition at the Pavilion, the two perfumers created and diffused scents designed to bring the olfactory dimension to life in rooms meant to represent American office architecture as it stood during various historical time periods.
Prolitec and the perfumers were chosen to scent the United States Pavilion by internationally known curators from the New York-based Storefront for Art and Architecture.
“We are very proud to have been selected to demonstrate the art and science of scent,” said Richard Weening, chief executive officer of Prolitec.
