The Scents of Time
Caroline Chriss
Time is an uncontrollable yet permanent part of life. It cannot be fast forwarded, paused, or rewound. There are moments when time seems to fly by and other moments when seconds seem like minutes. Although time is objective, our minds are tricked when it comes to the way we perceive it. By making the passing of time more noticea¬ble and ultimately tangible, can the gap be bridged between real time and perceived time? Today, there are two leading ways to tell time. One is by sight (looking at a clock), and the other is by feel (our own body clock). But what if a new sense was introduced to the telling of time, smell? “The Scents of Time” answers this question by the introduction of “À L’heure” “À L’heure,” translated to “by the hour” in French, is a revolutionary brand that investigates the use of candles as a tool to unite scents with the passing of time. Through the emission of different smells every hour, this product allows the user to not only watch, but also smell the melting of minutes. Each candle is made up of specifically scented 60 minute layers that when combined, can be used as a tool to time particular daily activities. À L’heure is just an introduction to the realm of possibilities that the smelling of time can lead to. In the future, what ways could this be implemented further into our everyday lives, and could smell be the ultimate answer to making time tangible?