Be a Bee: A Kinship Invitation
“Scent reminds us that relationships are inherently and inescapably mutual....The olfactory impulses we share with orchid bees offers an opportunity to not only recognize, but honor how integral and inextricably rooted we are in nature.”
Be a Bee: A Kinship Invitation
Inspired by our Kinship conversation with Jake Eshelman, we are inviting you to consider scent as both a creative medium and an ecological language. Like orchid bees, we will be collecting scent in the form of photographs by visually recording the impact that scent has on the way we see, relate to, and connect with the subjects we smell.
As we continue to explore the element of air as the medium that carries and stimulates a multitude of sensations, emotions, and images, this invitation asks you to consider how smell might impact the way you photograph.
We hope you will join us for this visual adventure.
1. Invitation/Prompt: Set aside at least thirty minutes of uninterrupted time (an hour or more is better). Bring a camera and note book. Choose a place that allows you some room to wander. Begin by standing still and noticing the smells around you. Find at least four different smells and spend a little bit of time with each of the smells. What can you tell us about them? Do they evoke any special feelings or memories? Now, with your sense of smell a bit more awakened, start walking. Let your nose guide you. You might even try imagining smell as your primary intuitive faculty by softening your gaze. Let your sense of smell pull you this way or that. When you find a smell that draws you in, spend time with it. Notice anything that arises, sensations, thoughts, feelings, etc. Record your observations and reflections (no matter how small). If it’s helpful, you can ponder any or all of the following questions: In what ways does smell heighten your sense of the subject? Does this scent connect you to the wider ecology? Are there any new connections or relationships that are making themselves known? Are you noticing things you might not have seen before? Then take photographs.
You of course do not need to answer all (or any) of the above questions, think of them as starting points for your own more interesting reflections. You also don’t need to photograph what you are smelling (unless you want to). We are most interested in the ways that scent invites you into conversation with your surrounding.
Repeat the “smell, reflect and photograph” cycle as many times as you like.
2. Share your photographs: Please share 1 - 5 photographs. We will gather Wednesday, May 7th at 7 pm EDT on Zoom to share our Be A Bee photographs. Please share your photographs by filling out this form and make sure your jpeg file is named like this: first name_last name_filename or file number. Deadline for submission: Wednesday, May 7th, 11 am EDT
3. Join us on Wednesday May 7th at 7 pm EDT for a community show and share on Zoom.
For inspiration we highly recommend these essays:
Scent and Synapse: Aromatic Flora and the Mechanisms and Power of Memory Recall by Gayil NallsJoin us Tuesday,
