Contribution long abstract:

I am interested in this workshop because I have an unstoppable interest in sensory perceptions, memories and the relationship between people and things. I am interested in how things have a life of their own and carry their history of trauma on their surface and are totally ignorant about their imminent destruction. Our connection with things is often very short, temporary, or connected to traditions. That is why I have chosen to bring a branch from my Christmas tree. Its smell is traditional and connects me with my past but will people in the future enjoy this smell? When will a traditional smell be endangered? In Iceland we traditionally burn the spruce needles to get the correct homely smell during Christmas. A Christmas smell that everybody recognizes can be endangered when the global warming goes out of control. What happens when we will only have man made replicas of old smells after certain things have disappeared? Climate change will change traditions, for example Christmas traditions, that will also change if the material things that they are based on undergo transformations or disappear altogether.