MILWAUKEE, WI--(Marketwired - Oct 30, 2014) - Prolitec Inc., the global ambient scenting leader, is providing the technology behind five "scent sculptures" at the United States Pavilion's OfficeUS exhibition in Venice. Renowned perfumers Christophe Laudamiel and Christoph Hornetz are bringing the leading edge of creative olfaction to the famed Venice Architecture Biennale in collaboration with Prolitec's AirQ products. The exhibition runs through Nov. 23, 2014.
For the Venice installation, the perfumers relied on Prolitec's AirQ ambient-scenting technology because of the flexibility it provided, Laudamiel said. "Visual artists need the ability to subtly control lighting, color and other elements," he explained. "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."
Prolitec and the perfumers were chosen to scent the United States Pavilion by internationally known curators with 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, CEO of Milwaukee-based Prolitec, which frequently works with Laudamiel and Hornetz on custom fragrances for commercial clients.
The notion of a scent sculpture might come as a surprise to some, but as Laudamiel and Hornetz see it, complex fragrances are in fact 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.
One such room evokes smells of an old, pre-1960 office. "You are in an old office, with its shelves, desks and wood panels," Laudamiel said. "The shelves are loaded with books; maybe you even smell the leather covers of some of them." Another sculpture (Nerolito #2), a room featuring photos of highly eclectic styles of U.S. architecture from 1961 to 2000, makes liberal use of orange flower, a fragrance common to many cultures, and one that is known for evoking a positive mood. "Nerolito #2 also contains the woody-frankincense molecule found naturally at small levels in orange peel, as well as elegant bergamot oil from Italy, Sicilian mandarins, a brushstroke of moss and blond vetyver soft notes," Laudamiel said.
The primal nature of scent enhances the emotional impact of these artworks, Laudamiel noted. "Olfaction is our oldest sense and is much more sophisticated, precise and complex than many of us fully appreciate," he said. "Just like architecture, scents envelop the users, and are experienced in 3D by the mind. They contribute to the perception of a place and décor inside." Burning candles, oil diffusers or other such methods could not have provided the depth and consistency of the scent needed for the sculptures, he added.
About Prolitec and its AirQ services
Prolitec develops advanced technologies to improve indoor air quality. Prolitec's AirQ service is the world's leading provider of ambient scenting services to help create healthy and pleasant interior spaces, with over 50,000 installations in North America and 70 countries across the globe. AirQ services are used to enhance customer experience, associate a brand with a scent, promote products and, where necessary, cancel malodors. Prolitec is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisc. To learn more, visit www.airq.com