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Looking back at the exhibition by Skins, Mart Visser and ART[s] Gallery
The collaboration
The collaboration came about through Simone Jansen, founder of ART[s] Gallery, a platform that makes contemporary art more accessible. When Mart Visser expressed his fascination with scent, she put him in touch with Philip Hillege, co-founder of Skins. "I wanted to find the best partner in the field of fragrance," Jansen says. "I sought contact with Skins, and from there everything fell into place."
What followed was not a literal translation of perfume, but an intuitive response to it. Coarse wood textures, layered materials and abstract shapes brought the mood of each perfume to life. "I look at each perfume to see what the story is and how I translate that into form. Is it sleek or fragile? Thin or thick?" says Visser about his working method.
It is precisely this openness that makes the works interesting. They do not try to explain scent, but show what scent can evoke. Some sculptures look heavy and architectural, others organic and almost fragile. Materials split open, surfaces fray and structures seem to be in motion.
The studio as part of the experience
The setting of the studio made the exhibition extra personal. Not a traditional gallery space, but a place where ideas are still visibly in motion and works in development feel as interesting as the end result itself.
In the studio, visitors, from art lovers to a select number of Skins Inclusive Members, had the chance to get closer to the creative process.
"Many artists keep their studios closed to the outside world," Philip explains. "Mart does the opposite. Visitors get to see not only the artwork, but also the process behind it."
At the same time, the collaboration was also about accessibility. Not to put art at a distance, but to bring it closer. "Whether you are a collector or curious, it is about being touched," says Jansen.
According to Simone, that is precisely where the strength of the project lies. "Nothing touches your emotion faster than smell. By bringing scent and art together, you get close to someone's experience."
That feeling ran throughout the exhibition. Less focused on quick interpretation, more on attention. On looking, smelling and experiencing. On a way of experiencing where art and perfume slowly blend together.
