Ms. Marisa Dhaneswongse, Team Leader of The Nose Thailand “Art by Scents” Project, said the “Everyone can do art” exhibition with the theme of “Imperfect” allows blind people to learn art. The project team is composed of persons who usually work with the blind, art therapists, and scent experts. Scents enable blind people to create artworks just like other people. The main purpose is not only to create blind artists but also to provide blind people with new career opportunities. Art has a potential to improve people’s living and strengthen their minds.
In the exhibition there will be specialized art tools that allow the blind to learn art, along with “scented colors” as well as sounds and tastes that will be helpful. Moreover, some artworks will be sold to raise funds for donating scented colors and teaching equipment to schools for the blind overseen by the Foundation for The Blind in Thailand under The Royal Patronage of H.M. the Queen. Artists can also earn revenues for continuing their creative works. Furthermore, this activity will help raise awareness about the blind’s problems and urge people to support the blind in the art space. This project allows sightless artists and sighted artists to collaborate and create artworks.
Ms. Naratipe Ruttapradid, Senior Executive Vice President of Operations at Siam Piwat Co.,Ltd., one of the main supporters of The Nose Thailand said: “Over the past 60 years, Siam Piwat group is a thought leader in creating distinctive, new prototypes of properties. We also aim to create the beneficial public space at the heart of city. By adhering to our core value “Think Different,
Create More Value”, Siam Piwat is committed to enhance the quality of life in community and society through the promotion of living standard for all Thai people.”
“It is our pleasure to be a part of this project through the contribution of our space to the exhibition, art promotion activities and workshops. This aligns with Siam Piwat’s mission, which is to create and provide opportunities to all people. We believe that by supporting this project for the visually impaired and the blind, it will awaken their self-worth and can help them realize their potential through the imagination empowerment and the provision of workshop that allows the visually impaired and people with normal vision to learn art together. By doing this, it can hearten and drive them to further create the work of art to society in the future.
Ms. Chalida Kunalai is a scent designer who has designed scents for a wide range of products for over 20 years, including laundry products in Asia-Pacific, food and places. “The world of art is about visual, it is based on color theory, which categorizes colors including primary colors like yellow, red, blue, and also white and black. I wondered if we could use scents to specify colors, so I talked to art therapists about the meaning and feeling of each color, and then I designed corresponding scents. It turned out that blind people could create impressive artworks with the help of scents. This project therefore allows the blind to create sculptures and paper artworks with inspirations from scents,” Ms. Chalida said.
“Those who can see with their eyes don’t notice that the most powerful sense in human body is not ‘sight’ but ‘smell’ because smell can notify dangers, it can provide sadness, happiness, pleasure, tastefulness, feelings, and tell stories. That’s why ‘smell’ is a medium that allows the blind to create artworks on whatever they inspire,” Ms. Chalida added.
The Nose Thailand “Art by Scents” Project believes that everyone including disabled people should have an opportunity to access art. This activity allows people to accept their imperfection and overcome their limitations to proudly move forward in the community. Let’s join us to celebrate these imperfections and allow art to reach and understand all imperfections in you.
