Materials Lab Workshop: The Poetry of Scent—Fragrance in Persian and Indian Gardens [AT CAPACITY]

This event is at capacity.

Aroma can be composed in much the same way as music or poetry. Notes balance with one another and create accords. Accords are blends of notes that tell a story, conjure a memory, and inspire emotion. As compositions of color, form, and fragrance, gardens are love letters to nature, art, aroma, and poetry.

This workshop will focus on the sensory experiences evoked by gardens represented in Islamic and South Asian art. Artist Alexis Karl will explore the poetic connections to aroma, botanicals, and fragrance found in these gardens and the cultural relevance and impact of historical aromatics on our modern lives. Janet O’Brien, the Calderwood Curatorial Fellow in South Asian and Islamic Art, will first take us on a stroll through the lush gardens depicted in works in the galleries, including a magnificent Persian carpet and flower-laden paintings from India. We will then return to the Materials Lab to mix oils, spices, herbs, and dried flowers into a dough and shape it into incense cones to take home.

All materials will be provided.

The hands-on session will take place in the Materials Lab on the Lower Level.

$15 workshop fee. Registration is required and space is limited; registration will open on this form, beginning on Thursday, May 8, at 10am. Workshop fee must be paid to confirm registration. Minimum age of 14; no previous experience required.

The Harvard Art Museums offer free admission every day, Tuesday through Sunday. Please see the museum visit page to learn about our general policies for visiting the museums.

The Harvard Art Museums are committed to accessibility for all visitors. For anyone requiring accessibility accommodations for our programs, please contact us at am_register@harvard.edu at least 48 hours in advance. Please include the name and date of the program in the subject line of your email.