On April 22, eighteen diverse artists created fourteen stations based on the ‘Way of the Cross.’ Tribe of Los Angeles produced this stations event called “Via Crucis” in the Smash Labs space at Big Art Labs.
The last station, #14 “Jesus Is Laid in the Tomb and Covered in Incense,” was curated by two Tribe of Los Angeles members, Nina and Maggie. Their curation primarily engaged the olfactory sense, using scents to evoke an experience of the tomb that was poignant and memorable. I recently spent just a few moments asking them to describe their approach to using smell as a primary point of worship engagement…
Curator: You two were charged with curating station #14, “Jesus Is Laid in the Tomb and Covered in Incense.” What was your general approach to creating this space?
Maggie: The station was created for people to accept loss in a comforting space. Death has become so sterile and removed from our life experience that it is no longer seen as part of our human transition. It is often seen as something foreign and untouchable. I wanted the space to feel safe, a place to grieve, a place to accept loss.
Nina: I agree. Overall, I think we wanted to create a space where people felt comfortable to mourn. Most of the scents [we] used are known for their calming effects, but I’m not sure we were completely certain that the layering of the scents would work, we just imagined they would. I think our sense of smell is a great vehicle for bringing us closer to ourselves, it’s subliminal, it can be so telling and honest. Strangely for me there’s a vulnerability attached to it.
Curator: Can you talk more about what you mean by “vulnerability” as it relates to smell?
Nina: I’m not sure how to explain the vulnerability. I guess my sense of smell resonates with me on a deeper level. I know immediately how it makes me feel. There’s something primal, honest and immediate about it, so there’s very little analysis. It’s simple. I either like it, or I don’t.
Curator: What about you, Maggie? What is the significance of smell for you?
Maggie: My memories are always associated with scents. The memory of my mother smelling of Nivea Cold Cream when I was little, my memories of summers in Guatemala filled with the scent of burning firewood, and my memory of falling in love with my husband who smelled of Old Spice shaving lotion (before it was cool).
Curator: What were the materials that made up the centerpiece, on the floor in the middle of the room?
Nina: The centerpiece was fresh potting soil, planted flowers, fresh herbs, and a raw lamb shank on top. It was important for me to remind people why they were in the space to begin with. Having the lamb shank was meant as a reminder of death, decay, loss, life, and whatever other personal associations it may have conjured up in people. It was funny to hear people’s responses to the lamb, some forgot there was lamb, some asked if it was real, some didn’t realize it was there, and it made some people cry. (I didn’t mean it, or want it to be an exact metaphor for [Jesus as] the sacrificial lamb.)
Curator: What were the specific herbs you used in the centerpiece?
Nina: Chamomile, lavender, sage, rosemary, and bay leaf.
Curator: Any other particular scents used in the space?
Maggie: We also had a pot of various herbs boiling in water. These included rosemary, basil, rue, geranium, and rose petals, all of which are considered to have medicinal properties to promote healing and wellness.
Nina: The potpouri we used to infuse the room the night before (which I ended up rolling in cheese cloth and laying on the lamb) is called Santa Maria Novella. I learned about the potpourri through the [art] gallery I worked at and thought it created an ancient, comforting scent. It smelled of time. I felt it would be a good base scent for the room. In fact, our storage room at Tribe [where station #14 was set up] still smells of it. The product description from the website reads like this:
Santa Maria Novella now seals each bag in Florence to assure perfect freshness and a longer lasting scent. Once you’ve been enveloped by the magic scent of Santa Maria Novella’s potpourri, you’ll understand why generations of captivated followers flock to Florence to stock up. Scrupulously handmade using ancient methods, this incredibly long-lasting, beautifully fragrant potpourri is a full-bodied blend of herbs and flowers (a secret formula), all grown without pesticides in the Florentine hills exclusively for Santa Maria Novella. Each batch is collected by hand, soaked in essence in enormous, centuries-old earthenware jars, sealed with wax, then aged for several months, and carefully packaged as it has been for centuries. No synthetic fragrances. All ingredients 100% organic and pesticide free.
Curator: In addition to appealing to peoples’ olfactory sense, you also engaged the sense of taste. Would you describe the way you did this?
Nina: I found the recipe for a drink called Sekanjabin, on this blog. I was inspired to make it for the station after reading of its medicinal, soothing and cooling properties. Since we were working with temperature (a boiling pot of herbs in a small enclosed space) offering a cool soothing drink seemed appropriate.
Curator: Which other senses did you intentionally engage in this station?
Maggie: Sight. The entire small space was draped with pure white sheets and white scent-less candles, providing some minimal lighting for the space. We hoped these simple visual aspects would add to the calm while not distracting from the scents we had blended.
Image © Paynie
Nina Naficy Dyhrsen is a member of Tribe of Los Angeles. She and her husband, Eric, are also part of the Tribe leadership team.
Magda McSparran won’t admit she’s an artist, but her husband Nolan will tell you she is. She will, however, admit to engaging in creative pursuits when inspiration strikes. Maggie is a member of Tribe of Los Angeles and is currently serving as Chairman of the Board. And, she loves bikes!
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