Smells Like The End

My final project in my degree, "Smells like the End," is a memory installation that commemorates the events of October 7th through the unique connection between scent and memory. The installation consists of three stations, each featuring an animated video with a different testimony and two accompanying scents. The testimonies highlight the stark contrast between the peacefulness of the previous Friday and the chaos that ensued the next morning.

The installation creates an intimate, personal experience where each participant wears headphones, watches the video, and inhales the corresponding scents, immersing themselves in the moment when the memories are individually imprinted. The project aims to offer a new perspective on trauma, fostering empathy and personal connection to the stories, ensuring they are heard, remembered, and ultimately shape both our personal and collective future.

In this project, I became familiar with the important initiative "Edut710", which captured authentic, raw memories during the first weeks of the war. Each selected testimony reflects the unique experience of living in Israel, where profound joy and immense chaos are deeply intertwined

The scents were delivered through aroma stones placed in glass tubes with an opening for smelling. Each scent vessel was distinguished by a graphic design of dots and colors matching the 06/10 and 07/10 screens, along with corresponding typography. Instructions on the screen guided viewers to the correct scent vessel.

Testimonies

The 1st testimony in the installation

The 2st testimony in the installation

The 3st testimony in the installation

Sound produced by Jungle Studio

The Process

Content Organization

Visual language formation

Designing in After Effects - dividing the image into layers and creating movement and finally turning the gradient into particles

professional graphics

story board

The choice of a visual language based on particles (pointillism) stems from the nature of scent and memory, which are intangible and elusive, as well as from the surreal reality we live in—where at any moment, everything can disintegrate, dissipate, and crumble.

scents

As part of my research on emotion and memory, I discovered that unlike other senses, smell is the only one that directly reaches the brain's emotion and memory center, triggering the strongest emotions and imprinting memories with the same intensity. I collaborated with pharmacist Limor Elfassi from Odorable Perfumes, learning about ingredients and formulations, testing various products, and was ultimately moved by the final result, where each memory was matched with a unique scent.