ODORAMA CITIES by KOO JEONG A
The scent is created by NONFICTION
The 60th International Art Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia
Curated by Seolhui Lee and Jacob Fabricius
Commissioned by ARKO
NONFICTION joins as the scent partner of the Korean Pavilion at the 60th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, presenting Odorama Cities, an olfactory portrait of modern and contemporary Korean history infused with sensory inspiration.
Since its founding, NONFICTION has created moments of encounter with the inner self through fragrance, continuously expanding into new and diverse expressions through collaborations with young artists. This year, together with Korean Pavilion artist Koo Jeong A and master perfumer Dominique Ropion (IFF), NONFICTION introduces a fragrance that embodies our most cherished memories. Odorama Cities is available at NONFICTION’s official online store and signature stores.
Nonfiction Odorama City Eau de Parfum 100mL
258,000 KRW
Scent
ODORAMA CITIES
Odorama City
A lush forest cloaked in slow-moving fog that resembles swirls of incense smoke. Delicate tuberose, creamy sandalwood, and cool eucalyptus add layers of quiet intrigue. ODORAMA CITIES distills the vast beauty of Korea—from the mountainous landscapes to the contemporary cityscapes—into a captivating scent.
Main Notes: Sandalwood | Amoeba | Incense | Tuberose
Inspiration
SCENT MEMORIES
Scent Memory
Artist Koo Jeong A asked people from South and North Korea, as well as those from diverse backgrounds worldwide, to share memories of scents tied to Korean cities and hometowns. More than 600 stories collected through this open call—personal accounts of life and fragrance across the Korean peninsula—were classified by central themes. Drawing on selected keywords chosen by Koo, NONFICTION collaborated with 16 perfumers from around the world to create 16 olfactory experiences, culminating in a single fragrance, Odorama Cities, further shaped by the inspiration of master perfumer Dominique Ropion.
I. 1960s: Energy of Nature
The scent of resin from green pines, sea breeze tinged with salt, and the sacred vitality of Korea’s mountainous terrain embody this journey through memory.
II. 1970s–1980s: Landscapes of Industrialization
Complex impressions of this era are expressed with civet, ambrette seed, and distinctive spices. The sharpness of dust, exhaust fumes, metal, and burnt scents capture the height of industrial growth.
III. 1990s–2000s: Everyday Scenes
Life in the modernized city carries warmth amid the bustle: the smell of soap from the public bathhouse and rice on the stove, an herbal breeze drifting through alleyways, the sunlit countryside, and the familiar fragrance of grandmother’s home.
IV. 2010s–2020s: Urban Nostalgia
The damp scent of asphalt after rain, the cool air of the subway, the hum of cars at midnight. Nostalgia born from a rapidly changing city is distilled into harmonies of ambergris, aldehydes, and asphalt.
The Artist
KOO JEONG A
Koo Jeong A is an artist who blurs the boundaries of the visible and invisible by employing scent, light, temperature, and sound as materials for visual art. Beyond fragrance, her practice spans architecture, language, drawing, painting, sculpture, and animation, delicately “rearranging” objects and landscapes. Through works that poetically transform the relationships between humans and nature, language and science, sensation and logic, she has earned international acclaim.
Portrait of Koo Jeong A. Courtesy of PKM Gallery. Photo by Kim Je-won.
The Nose
DOMINIQUE ROPION
Dominique Ropion, the legendary master perfumer of IFF, has created some of the most enduring masterpieces in fragrance history. Known for his instinctive sense of balance, he harmonizes extremes into near-perfect equilibrium. His work carries an energy that flows between rigor and experimentation, always revealing a distinctive, masterful touch.
Portrait of Koo Jeong A. Courtesy of PKM Gallery. Photo by Kim Je-won.
Visit
KOO JEONG A – ODORAMA CITIES
Koo Jeong A – Odorama City
+ Period: April 20, 2024 – November 24, 2024
+ Venue: Korean Pavilion
Il Padiglione Coreano Biennale di Venezia Giardini di Castello 30122 Venezia, Italy
korean-pavilion.or.kr
Korean Pavilion Exhibition at the 60th Venice Biennale in 2024
