Volatile Practices

Volatility (n.)

1590s "fine or light;" also, of substances, "evaporating rapidly, susceptible to diffusion;" from French volatile, from Latin volatilis "fleeting, not lasting, transitory; swift, rapid; flying, winged," from past-participle stem of volare "to fly" (see volant).

The sense of "readily changing, flighty, fickle" is attested from 1640s. In reference to stocks or markets, by 1931.

Also "flying, able to take flight" (1620s), and generally, "having the quality of taking flight, evanescent" (1660s). Volatiles (c. 1300) in Middle English were "birds, butterflies, and other winged creatures." - etymonline.com

Volatile Practices engages experimental and interdisciplinary approaches to scent. It embraces the fleeting, unstable, and often intangible qualities of olfaction, focusing on speculative inquiry, dialogue and play. This stream is embodied in seminars, collaborations, conversation and open studio formats that encourage exploration beyond traditional and subconscious boundaries.

Rather than focusing on fixed outcomes or technical inquiry, Volatile Practices invites participants to engage with scent as a process, a phenomenon, and a medium that resists easy definition. It is a forum for thinking aloud, trying out ideas and sensations, and encountering scent’s unpredictable qualities in new ways.

Programming in this stream is designed to be open and flexible, welcoming practitioners and thinkers from diverse backgrounds who are curious about the possibilities of scent-based artistic practices and how they can weave through disciplines, traditions, and forms of knowledge.

We begin with a small selection of programs and hope to offer more in future.

Diffusion Bar

Diffusion Bar is an evening of open perfume studio access. Participants are invited to explore the school’s full lab of materials for their own experimentation and self-directed study during a two-hour session. Offered monthly, you may attend just once or return on an ongoing basis, as suits your practice.

These evenings are lightly facilitated, but no formal instruction is provided. Whether you are an artist considering scent in your work, a sensory enthusiast, a curious oenologist, a dedicated hedonist, or an aspiring perfumer seeking to acquaint yourself with new materials without the need for a lab of your own—Diffusion Bar is a space to get in some practice hours.

Sillarium : Seminars in Olfactory Art

Sillarium is a seminar series dedicated to the evolving field of olfactory art.

This ongoing program offers a platform for in-depth conversations and critical reflection on the histories, challenges, and current directions of scent-based artistic practices.

Each seminar gathers artists, scholars, and enthusiasts to explore diverse topics—from landmark exhibitions and influential figures to the cultural reception and conceptual frameworks that shape how olfactory art is understood and created. The format ranges from focused lectures and artist talks to open and experimental discussions.

Sillarium invites participants to engage with scent as a complex, often elusive medium—one that resists easy categorization but offers rich possibilities for artistic inquiry and critical thought.

To learn more about the specific topics coming up in this series, click the link below.