SYNESTHESIA: Florida
A diptych about a memory and a scent
I was invited to contribute to the Synesthesia exhibition at the Light Grey Art Lab, and chose to draw about my memories of Florida. Here's the official description for the series.
“Of all the senses, it is probably smell that cues emotional memories in the most interesting way. Certain scents can transport us to a specific time and place, which will be completely personal to each individual. For me, the smell of cigarettes usually reminds me of the teacher’s room from my primary school, and a specific brand of car freshener reminds me of the house I lived in when I spent a year in high school as an exchange student in Canada,” says curator Rafael Mayani, “But my favorite memories are the ones that catch me off guard. Sometimes it takes a while to figure out what it is exactly, but it’s really incredible how a specific smell can evoke memories that we had completely forgotten about."
To represent our subjects, each artist was asked to illustrate both the memory and the scent that triggers it, as separate drawings.
My memory: Florida
When I was young, my parents took me on trips to Florida a couple of times. It was always the most amazing experience, and I'd fill bags with toys and souvenirs to bring back home. To this day, every time I smell Play-Doh I remember my childhood and those trips.
Initial sketch of a different approach.
Please visit the project page for the entire exhibition here: http://lightgreyartlab.com/synesthesia
Bonus! A fun animation with @marianayi based on the play-Doh animals in the scene.
