About this Event
Exhibition dates: November 12 - 16
Hours: Nov12-15: 8am - 5pm, Nov 16: 10am - 6pm
Location: Lobby @ ASU Media and Immersive Experience (MIX) CenterNorth Centennial Way 50 North Centennial Way Mesa, AZ 85201
Accessibility: ground floor, wheelchair accessible, no steps
Project by Byron Lahey, Lauryn Mannigel, and Christy Spackman.
Though often unnoticed, smells play a significant role in how people make sense of those around them and the places they inhabit. Atmospheres of Belonging, an interdisciplinary art-science project, explores how experiences of smells shape a visceral sense of belonging.
This intermedia art installation integrates two research streams: (1) oral stories about relationships between food, belonging, and memories of smell experiences and (2) environmental data from public sensing sources (e.g., air quality, traffic). These components form a kinetic system where isomalt (sugar glass) vessels containing scents representing historical and contemporary smell experiences are moved and transformed by data-driven forces. As the isomalt glass changes states with heat and moisture, its forms shift—serving as a functional analogy for lived experiences within Mesa’s dynamic social, political, and physical atmospheres.
Discover the physical sensations, memories, and meanings smells might evoke by engaging with the installation’s mechanisms and smell experiences. Visit the exhibition and participate in complementary workshops on (1) steam distillation of organic matter and (2) sugar glass blowing to explore your perception of smells encountered in Mesa’s specific contexts.
Free special events, open to all
- LASER Talks, Nov. 14, 3-5pm, organized by LeonardoASU, Register here: https://leonardo.info/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=941
- Sugar Glass Blowing Workshop (age 8+), Nov. 16, 2-4 pm, Limited seats, Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sugar-glass-blowing-workshop-tickets-1071280682359?aff=oddtdtcreator
- Steam Distillation Workshop (age 18+), Nov. 16, 2-4 pm, Limited seats, Register here: , 2-4 pm, Free. Limited seats, Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/steam-me-visible-tickets-1071430741189?aff=oddtdtcreator
- Closing Event, Nov. 16, 4-6 pm, Opportunity to meet the artists
We are grateful for our funders, Leonardo/ISAST with Arizona State University, the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory, and our partner, the Mesa Public Library.
For questions, comments, or feedback, feel free to contact us:
Byron Lahey: [email protected]
Lauryn Mannigel: [email protected]
Christy Spackman: [email protected]
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Media and Immersive Experience (MIX) Center, Lobby, 50 North Centennial Way, Mesa, United States
