New Flavors and Fragrances
Sean Raspet

April 19th - May 31th, 2014

New Flavors and Fragrances
2014

coc(=o) 

ccoc(=o) 

cccoc(=o) 

ccccoc(=o) 


 

coc(=o)c 

ccoc(=o)c 

cccoc(=o)c 

ccccoc(=o)c 

 


coc(=o)cc 

ccoc(=o)cc 

cccoc(=o)cc 

ccccoc(=o)cc 

 


coc(=o)ccc

ccoc(=o)ccc 

cccoc(=o)ccc 

ccccoc(=o)ccc

 

90 liters of 16 different esters in propylene glycol and 16 wall mounted containers dimensions variable, approx 220x220x40cm

New Galerie, Paris

New Flavors and Fragrances
2014

coc(=o)

ccoc(=o)

cccoc(=o)

ccccoc(=o)

 

coc(=o)c

ccoc(=o)c

cccoc(=o)c

ccccoc(=o)c

 


coc(=o)cc

ccoc(=o)cc

cccoc(=o)cc

ccccoc(=o)cc

 


coc(=o)ccc

ccoc(=o)ccc

cccoc(=o)ccc

ccccoc(=o)ccc

 

90 liters of 16 different esters in propylene glycol and 16 wall mounted containers dimensions variable, approx 220x220x40cm

New Galerie, Paris

New Flavors and Fragrances
2014

Installation view @New Galerie, Paris

New Flavors and Fragrances
2014

 

From left to right:

 

APPlE

cccc(=o)occ

coc(=o)cc

coc(=o)ccc

ccoc(=o)ccc


Mixture of 4 different esters in propylene glycol

 

PEAR

ccc(=o)oc

cc(=o)occ

ccc(=o)occ

cccc(=o)occ


FRUiTY

coc(=o)

cccoc(=o)

ccccoc(=o)

coc(=o)c

ccoc(=o)c

cccoc(=o)c

coc(=o)cc

ccoc(=o)cc

cccoc(=o)cc

coc(=o)ccc

ccoc(=o)ccc

cccoc(=o)ccc

ccccoc(=o)ccc


Mixture of 13 different esters in propylene glycol


ETHEREAl

coc(=o)

ccoc(=o)

coc(=o)c

ccoc(=o)c

ccccoc(=o)c

coc(=o)ccc


Mixture of 6 different esters in propylene glycol

 

ESTER VECTOR

ccccoc(=o)

cccoc(=o)c

ccoc(=o)cc

coc(=o)ccc


Mixture of 4 different esters in propylene glycol

New Flavors and Fragrances
2014

Installation view @New Galerie, Paris

New Flavors and Fragrances
2014

Installation view @New Galerie, Paris

ESTER VECTOR
2014

ccccoc(=o)

cccoc(=o)c

ccoc(=o)cc  
coc(=o)ccc

 

Mixture of 4 different esters in propylene glycol

New Flavors and Fragrances
2014

 Installation view @New Galerie, Paris

New Flavors and Fragrances
2013 - 2014

From left to right:

 


ALDEHYDE GRADIENT

cccccccc=o

ccccccccc=o

cccccccccc=o

ccccccccccc=o
ccccccc(=o)c


Mixture of ketones and aldehydes in propylene glycol

 


PHANTOM RINGTONE 

cccccccc=o 

ccccccc(=o)c

Mixture of ketones and aldehydes in propylene glycol

 



PHANTOM RiNGTONE 8:11

cccccccc=o

ccccccc(=o)c

ccccccccccc=o
cccccccccc(=o)c

Mixture of ketones and aldehydes in propyleneglycol

New Flavors and Fragrances
2014

 Installation view @New Galerie, Paris 

KEY/COIN
2013-2014

cccccccc=o
cccccc(=o)c=c
ccccccccc=o
cccccccccc=o,

Mixture of ketones and aldehydes in propylene glycol

New Flavors and Fragrances
2014

From left to right:

 

N-9/9-ciS

cc/c=c\ccccc=o

ccccccccc=o

Mixture of aldehydes in propylene glycol

 

 

KEToNE SHiFT: 2-6-2

cc(=o)ccccccc

cc(=o)ccccccccc

cccccc(=o)ccccc

Mixture of ketones in propylene glycol

New Flavors and Fragrances
2014

Installation view @New Galerie, Paris 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Flavors and Fragrances, 2014

 

The exhibition embodies multiple threads of abstraction, from the systematization of artificial flavors within the pre-existing paradigm of industrial production to a non-mimetic idea of scent perception and molecular structure rooted in the material specificity of substances. Olfactory perception (which along with taste are considered “the chemical senses”) is the proper domain for the perception of material specificity as it is based in the molecular structure or the primary “chemical signature” of a material.

 

Central to Raspet’s practice is a notion of the “formulation”––an alignment between a substance and a set of logical-linguistic processes and procedures: an exchangeability or correspondence between materiality and its systematic representation (as in for, example the correspondence between Coca-Cola’s chemical formulation and the parameters of its systematic representation within advertising).

 

As a working procedure for Raspet, this concept entails an extreme material reduction, and a paradigm of working with materials in which arbitrary, spatial considerations such as form and compositional arrange- ment are screened out in favor of underlying structural relationships. The space for decision making within this paradigm occurs in the exchangeability and rearrangement of the ratios of the components of a formu- lation––which is simultaneously a substance and an algorithm; text and material.

 

All artworks in the exhibition are colorless or nearly-colorless liquids composed from the common chemical compounds of the flavor and fragrance industry. In the accompanying documentation, compounds are de- noted through a compressed text-string entry system. As in language, minor differences in the composition- al structure have considerable consequences. Like many commercial materials, the formulations are sold

 

on a volumetric (per litre) basis. However, the respective intangible rights to the formulations––the legal capacity to combine the specified chemical materials together into a single mixture––are sold separately, in which case the artist will relinquish his future ability to combine the components of a formulation and will transfer this exclusive right to the buyer.

 

Raspet’s research into functional perfumery and the flavor and fragrance industry––is an ongoing aspect of his focus on the underlying materiality of abstract systems, which have included financialization, legal administration, and data processing.