“Multisensory Dialogue invites us to shift our attention away from the dominance of sight and toward the richness of touch, sound and scent. Through the work of a composer, a tactile designer and a perfumer — each engaging the world through different sensory perspectives — this residency explores how perception can be expanded.” – Céline Ricci, 836M programming director
836M is proud to announce the MULTISENSORY DIALOGUE, a joint residency of composer Danny Clay, perfumer Yosh Han and tactile designer Naomi Rosenberg. The three Bay Area-based artists will lead a series of workshops throughout the summer, culminating in a final presentation showcasing the shared language between their disciplines. The opening reception for the residency takes place on Thursday, June 5 at 6:30 p.m. The closing event will take place on Thursday, August 21 at 6:30 p.m. All events at 836M are free with RSVP.
Clay has conducted musical games with visitors to Chicago’s Millennium Park, he’s made experimental audio installations with students at Stanford University, and he’s built orchestras of recycled instruments with his elementary students at Alta Vista School in San Francisco. He’s also collaborated with the Kronos Quartet, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Eighth Blackbird and Third Coast Percussion, among others.
“I’m no stranger to interdisciplinary collaborations,” said Clay, “but this residency marks my first time working with either tactile design or scent. I would say that each of us is coming to this project with childlike wonder and a beginner’s mind.”
For her part, Han is an internationally recognized fragrance designer and sommelier. Also no stranger to cross-disciplinary exchange, Han has received commissions from The Art of Bloom, Ocean Memory Project, Asian Art Museum, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Headlands Center for the Arts, CMAC, Time Travel Mart and SF Opera, to name a few. Her fragrances are available globally at luxury retailers including Barneys New York, Saks Fifth Avenue Dubai, Liberty London, Colette Paris and Anthropologie.
“I love collaborating with other artists using different media because it challenges me to see how I can incorporate their tools and perspectives in my work,” said Han. “This residency is an invitation to the public to explore at the intersection of science, scent and sound.”
Finally, Rosenberg is the Director of the Media and Accessible Design Lab at LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired. With a background in architecture and studio art, Rosenberg makes maps and other graphic information using 3D printers, UV printers and embossers. Her tactile maps and tactile art reproductions have been exhibited at Cooper Hewitt, the de Young Museum and Oakland Museum of California. And her clients include the Library of Congress, National Park Service, The Nature Conservancy, Apple and Microsoft.
Rosenberg will lead two workshops. The first on July 17 will focus on the creation of tactile labyrinths with guest artist Maia Scott, and the second on August 2 will be a nonvisual drawing workshop with guest artists Marco Salsiccia and Chancey Fleet. While Rosenberg is herself sighted, each of her workshop collaborators are blind. Both workshops are open to all.
“I’m so excited to reimagine my art practice in collaboration with two spectacular artists while providing accessible art opportunities to blind and low-vision audiences,” said Rosenberg. “The residency raises many interesting questions like, How do the concepts of ‘contrast,’ ‘rhythm,’ and ‘shadow’ translate across the contexts of smell, sound and touch?”
Han will lead two workshops on June 26 and July 10. The first workshop is an experiential workshop focusing on smells in relation to our other senses, especially sound and touch. The goal will be to expand participants’ lexicon of smells. The second workshop will focus on scents as emotional anchors. Participants will explore the “frequency” of certain aromatic materials, while experimenting with various pairings of sound to color to scent to create similar or dissimilar frequencies.
The final two workshops will be led by Clay together with three other musicians – on July 31 – and by Clay together with Han and Rosenberg on July 24. Participants in these workshops will receive an instrument in order to take part in interactive sound games and improvisation. No musical experience is required.
Residency Schedule of Events
Opening event:
June 5 at 6:30 p.m. | Soft Opening Party
Workshops:
June 26 at 6:30 p.m. | Scent Workshop with Yosh Han
July 10 at 6:30 p.m. | Scent Workshop with Yosh Han
July 19 at 6:30 p.m. | Tactile Labyrinth Workshop with Naomi Rosenberg and Maia Scott
July 24 at 6:30 p.m. | “Speed Dating,” a three-way workshop with Danny Clay, Yosh Han and Naomi Rosenberg
July 31 at 6:30 p.m. | Sound Workshop with Danny Clay and guest musicians
August 2 at 1 p.m. | Nonvisual Drawing Workshop with Naomi Rosenberg, Marco Salsiccia and Chancey Fleet
Closing Event:
August 21 at 6:30 p.m. | Closing Party
Each workshop and event is free and open to all ages 11 and up.
EXHIBITION DATES:
CURRENTLY BASED:
RSVP HERE
Yosh Han is a perfumer, sommelier, clairvoyant and former tasting judge for the Artisan Chocolate Salon and the Art and Olfaction Awards. She founded her eponymous brand and consultancy specializing in artisanal perfumes. She is a current creative-in-residence at The Battery. Commissions and art clients include The Art of Bloom, Ocean Memory Project, Asian Art Museum, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Headlands Center for the Arts, CMAC, re.riddle, SOMArts, The Bureau of Urban Secrets, Faith Popcorn’s Brain Reserve, The Pirate Store at 826 Valencia, Time Travel Mart, and SF Opera. Her fragrances were sold globally at premiere retailers like Barneys New York, Ministry of Scent, Lucky Scent, Liberty London, Saks Fifth Avenue Dubai, Corso Como Milan, Colette Paris, and Takashimaya Tokyo and Anthropologie. Her work has been featured on Netflix, NY Times, SF Chronicle, WSJ, Vogue, Elle, etc. For more information, visit www.eaudeyosh.com
Danny Clay is a composer and music educator whose work is deeply rooted in play, curiosity, collaboration, and the sheer joy of creating community experiences with people of all ages and artistic backgrounds. He sees “composing” as the act of putting sounds together, and strives to find ways to utilize this act to foster creativity and connection – whether it be conducting musical games with visitors to Chicago’s Millennium Park, making experimental audio installations with students at Stanford University, or building orchestras of recycled instruments with his elementary schoolers at Alta Vista School in San Francsico. Recent collaborations outside the classroom include a work for Kronos Quartet with members of the Academy for Teachers, interactive children’s programs with the Santa Rosa Symphony and St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, and instructional videos on composing for Kennedy Center Education. His current interests lie in developing games that explore sound and creativity through interactive music-making. For more information, visit: www.dclaymusic.com
Naomi Rosenberg is a designer in the San Francisco Bay Area, primarily making tactile maps and graphic information for the blind and low vision community. Designing with a focus on accessibility makes her work clear, succinct, and impactful. Her practice prioritizes listening to people’s stories in order to make tools that best fit their needs, support literacy, independence, and the right to access information. As a recognized leader in tactile map design, she collaborates with preeminent creators and educators in the blind community to increase the availability of high-quality tactile materials. Invited lectures and workshops include Illinois State University, New York Public Library, San Francisco State University, University of Chicago, University of San Francisco. Rosenberg’s tactile maps and tactile art reproductions have been exhibited at Cooper Hewitt, de Young Museum, and Oakland Museum of California. Clients include Apple, Library of Congress, Microsoft, National Park Service, The Nature Conservancy, Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo. Personal website: naomirosenberg.com, professional website: madlabdesign.org.