'Olfactostroll' by Jan Uprichard at CCA Derry~Londonderry

Put on your headphones and join artist Jan Uprichard on a self-directed smell walk to explore your surroundings with your nose.

Put on your headphones and join artist Jan Uprichard on a self-directed smell walk to explore your surroundings with your nose.

For CCA during lockdown Jan has created 'OlfactoStroll', a smell walk for our city, however, you can listen to the audio anywhere in the world or around your own home to create your own 'OlfactoStroll'. Both walking and smell have taken on added importance during the pandemic. This guided walk offers a different way to experience familiar surroundings guided by a series of prompts from the artist. The podcast/guided walk is accompanied by a series of Deep Smelling protocols which are visible through our gallery windows and at various spots around the city.

Jan is an artist and freelance curator/producer based in Belfast. She is currently a PhD researcher at Ulster University. 'OlfactoStroll' is grounded in Jan’s PhD research, in which she is developing a method of Deep Smelling. Deep Smelling is a meditative, experiential and process-based art practice, which brings our attention to our sense of smell.

As an artist and researcher Jan works with smell as a device to re-programme how we perceive our surroundings, whilst themes of friendship fuel her curatorial practice. Jan’s art practice oscillates between participatory events and obsessive research, using smell, walking, archives, mapping, food, sound, film, bookmaking, botany, and interventions as tools.

Jan’s hope, as we negotiate the pandemic and try to figure out what a ‘new normal’ could be, is that we take the opportunity to maintain a slower pace. That we will reflect on our experiences with a quiet activism, that utilises taking time to do nothing but wander around, and in this case, notice what we can smell and sense around us.

* If you are experiencing a loss or distortion of your sense of smell this could be a symptom of Covid-19; please follow guidance to self-isolate and book a test: www.nidirect.gov.uk

AbScent is a UK charity that offers support and advice to people with smell disorders. Their resources include smell training, a technique that can help to stimulate the sense of smell and encourage regeneration of the olfactory nerve. Visit their website at AbScent.org.

If you do not have a device with the ability to play podcasts, email info@cca-derry-londonderry.org to arrange use of an iPod.