SMELL AS A FORM OF COMMUNICATION
This Project is an approach to the social conditioning of what smells we as humans have learned to find repulsive. Much has to do with the human hygiene standards, which have developed through the sedentary nature of human and the division between rich and poor. Many of our body odors and pheromones communicate to our environment something about our health, which was originally important to assess the reproductive capacity of others. In this, a device connects the most "information loaded" body parts to the nose and mouth of the other person to smell only the "unpleasant" smell. In doing so, all other senses are, as much as possible, not usable/blocked since smell is very much understood by association of the visual and auditory. Due to human history this form of exchange has become extremely fetishized and devalued.
WHAT IS SMELL AND HOW DOES IT WORK
Odors are scent stimuli consisting of odorants released into the air by solids or liquids. How readily or and how quickly odor molecules are released into the air depends on the chemical with the chemical properties of the substances. Generally, the faster a substance evaporates, the stronger the odor, which, however, can also dissipate quite quickly. The slower a substance releases scent molecules, the weaker the odor, but lasts longer. The type of odor we perceive depends entirely on the composition of the atoms. Smelling and tasting are the senses that need to be in direct contact to be sensed. They are chemical/molecular senses. For these it is a prerequisite that the chemical stimulus is in direct contact with the receptor sites. This is different for seeing or hearing. Molecules from the environment are absorbed with every breath. These enter the nasal cavity either directly into the nasal cavity via the nose or indirectly through the mouth via the back of the throat. Humans and mammals have about 350 to 400 different olfactory receptors, which are regularly regenerated by our genes. These contain proteins that recognize individual molecules according to a lock-and-key principle.
IDIOSYNCRATIC SENSE AND LIMBIC SYSTEM
It is described as idiosyncratic sense which means that each person perceives their environment individually through their nose/mouth. This is also different for seeing or hearing. That is why people can perceive between 4000-10000 odors. Since the neural network of the smell, is more developed (older) than the language network, it is difficult for people to express themselves linguistically about it. It is also shaped by individual and cultural experiences and values. The processing is strongly related to the limbic system, since smelling also releases encephalins, endorphins, serotonin and norepinephrine. Compared to seeing and hearing, the sense of smell is not so easy to control or filter and thus has a much more subconscious perception. The limbic system is responsible for storing our memories, drives, desires, and emotions in our short-term or long-term memory. This is how we, conscious or unconscious, learn and adapt our behavior.
SEXUALITY
The relationships that we have to other humans depends very much on how we perceive their bodily odors. Whether it is from mothers to their babies, friends or sexual partners it is always dependent on pheromones. For sexual relations, the most relevant is the MHC pheromone that we produce ourselves and perceive from others. This communicates us if the person is genetically compatible or has a healthy immune system to reproduce and evolutionary make the offspring more likely to survive. By that humans are still conditioned to choose their mate. Due to the developments of human society this way of bonding and choosing a “mate” has become unnecessary and other factors determine who we want to reproduce or just be intimate with for example: similar interest, hobbies, humor, money, age, sexuality, values, culture, place, status, beauty standard, support ……. And much more!
This project should not be seen as something that criticizes these other selection factors, but as something to make aware of this subconscious choice making, we do almost every day.
ORIGIN
In 2020 I had a covid infection which first didn’t affect me very much. But after some days I realized that my taste and smell have completely disappeared. These Symptoms are typical for a covid infection but mine never really went away. For two years now I have been living with long covid. I have tried Therapy to regain my sense, but it did not work out for me. My smell is almost completely gone except for some very intense scents. But these don´t smell like they used to. Interesting for me is my taste. Some things don´t taste like they used to, some make me nauseous, some don´t taste at all, some things taste like something I have never tasted before.