Jesse Wakenshaw emerges as a visionary multidisciplinary artist, fervently rejecting the ties of perfectionism in pursuit of profound self-expression. With an unwavering commitment to exploring the intricate interplay between scent and visual artistry, Jesse's creative odyssey unfolds as a mesmerising journey through the realms of identity and self-discovery.
Jesse's oeuvre transcends traditional boundaries, offering a tantalising sensory tapestry that evokes both nostalgia and innovation. In a post-internet era saturated with visual stimuli, he boldly ventures into uncharted territory, weaving together the elusive language of scent with the visual medium to forge deeply resonant narratives.
Harnessing the ethereal power of olfaction, Jesse deftly manipulates fragrances to evoke a myriad of emotions, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in an experiential journey of self-reflection and introspection. Each composition serves as a testament to the intimate relationship between scent and memory, as well as the transformative potential of sensory exploration.
Drawing inspiration from personal experiences of trauma and liberation, Jesse's work serves as a poignant meditation on the complexities of identity and the human condition. Through a delicate balance of vulnerability and resilience, he endeavours to capture the ephemeral essence of the present moment, inviting audiences to partake in a transcendent olfactory experience that transcends the boundaries of language and perception.
Cafe/ Brunswick
Industrial Diffuser/ Scent
Benzoin
Antique Piano wood
Labdanum
Cedarwood
Instrument interiors
Orbitone
Elemi Resin
Aetoxylon Wood
Photos courtesy of Casper Plum.
Herbet Hall/ Adelaide
Scent / Feather / Perfume Bottle / Timber Brackets/ Aluminium / Fluorescent light / Scent Machine
Dimensions:
115 cm x 36 cm
A stained, scented feather sits soaked in a sharp, industrial and medicinal accord.
The physical side reflects the construction of one’s ideas : hard, material and tangible.
The experimental accord is composed largely from scraped and discarded perfume formulas. Failures, abandoned ideas and fragments of past artistic processes are reclaimed and given new terms of possibility.
Notes: Rubber / Medicinal / Smoke / Rose
A second accord is projected into the space, representing the liminal space between the physical and mental.
Soft, ambient, familiar yet strange and dusty, the scent exists less as an object and more as an atmosphere. A suggestion of thought, memory and internal space.
Notes: Iris / Dust / Cedarwood / Patchouli / Frankincense
Art Gallery of South Australia/ Adelaide
Plywood / Perfume Bottle / Found Carpet/ Scent/ Brass Key Hole / Electrical Tape / LED Light .
Scent :
Cedarwood Funerbis/Virginian Cedarwood/Cedarwood Atlas/Javanol/Coffee Robusta CO2/ Coffee Arabica/Dust Accord/Castoreum/Leather
Dimensions :
30.48 x 40.64 cm
Something familiar, something that became part of the place.
Conversations, over time, settled into scent. A fragrance lingering underfoot, absorbed into the architecture, leaving its trace in the space.
In a world where we continually strive for perfection .
I find myself returning to the idea of play , and mistake making .
The work embraces subtle imperfections and moments of unpredictability.
Allowing space for experimentation mistakes and a human form which lies within the work.
A slowed down process through found materials , textures and hand formulated scent reflecting the materials and habit of home .
WACKIE JU SAVIOUR 002 / AFW
Australian Fashion Week/ Sydney
Scent Scape/Scented Garments for Wackie Ju Savior Show 002
Anticipation of tomorrow's dawn brings new hopes and lingering shadows. Keynotes like Jasmine Sambac, Cassis, Cade wood, Olibanum, Musks, Resins, Medicinal Camphor.
Burnt Amber and Narcotic Florals unfold in a complex dance.
Scent narrates a story, evolving with each moment, much like a poetic dance.
Each whiff offers a new facet to uncover.
We imagine a sacred site where ethereal elements meet brutal chaos, reflecting our internal light and shadow.
This journey through scent and fashion encourages the audience to find personal narratives in their own life and olfactory experiences.
Garments infused with fragrance perhaps for protection/attraction and guidance.