Apart from the breathtaking sight of vast blue waters or the rhythmic sound of crashing waves, the vivid smell of the sea ties us to the rhythms of nature and the ebb and flow of the tides. The salty freshness of a coastal breeze or the distinctive scent of seaweed can transport us back to memories of seaside holidays, fishing trips, or childhood adventures.
A “smellscape” is the perceived smell environment which can be fleeting or may build over time, depending on our past experiences and backgrounds.
Researcher and artist Kate Mclean creates maps to illustrate smellscapes. In Newport, a seaside city on Rhode Island in the US, she documented the ocean-based smells to build a visual-olfactory catalog. Different color codes represent collective responses to smells from people who joined Mclean on a smell walk. Blue lines show ocean smells spreading across the island as they are encountered frequently by residents and visitors.
As the environment changes, documenting smellscapes of the ocean could provide insight into the state of our seas and our relationship with coastal waters.
Read the full article on The Conversation.
