Smells Of My Mother

A video filmed with a mobile phone – running time: 02min08

This video is the last in a series of four videos, all of which are between 0min30 and 2min00. 

This artefact exists as a digital short video, as an audiovisual artefact.

The impulse for this video was the task:

‘Describe your mother to the person sitting to your right.’ 

The task was to create the video from one lab session to the next and then bring it back to the group. If there was a desire to do so, the video was then shown to the group and reflected on together using the four reflection questions. All artist researchers had the opportunity to use all questions or at least two reflection questions. In the reflection rounds, they reacted to each other’s reflections, further developed the concept of autobiographical exploration, discussed considerations of social class, explored and discussed differences and similarities. Some new artefacts emerged from the discussion, further autosociobiographical explorations of the influence of mother/mothers on their own biography.

The video shows dried rue, which the Artist Researcher’s mother burnt every morning for each of her children. For the Artist Researcher, the smell that arises represents his own mother. The burning was intended to provide protection for the children on that day. 

In a series of four videos, the Artist Researcher has shown all aspects of the burning. In great detail, we are drawn into the process of lighting, burning and smoke formation. Once the smoke has collected in the glass, it is released and allowed to spread throughout the room. The dense white smoke dissolves in the room and fills it with odour. 

The artist researcher has chosen four glasses as there were four artist researchers in the laboratory. She/he/* wanted to symbolically transfer the protection of her mother to the group. The video bears witness to a performative act that connects her/his biographical narrative with the present and inscribes it in the participants of the laboratory. 

The hands of the artist researcher can be seen in the reflection on the microwave. Indirectly, she/he/* is part of the video, the hands, parts of the upper body are visible.

What odours do I associate with my mother?

How can I visualise them?

What memories do I associate with this odour/smells?