The delegate of Culture, Tourism, and Sports, Marta Rivera de la Cruz, accompanied by the artistic director of Veranos de la Villa, Joaquín De Luz, inaugurated this morning En el compás del verano, an exhibition that, from the Espacio Cultural Serrería Belga, explores Madrid through the most invisible yet evocative sense: smell. This exhibition is part of the free cultural offer of Veranos de la Villa and can be enjoyed until August 3. Also present at the presentation were the president of the Ernesto Ventós Foundation, Àngels Peris, and the president of the Perfume Academy, Juan Pedro Abeniacar.
In the words of Rivera de la Cruz, «this exhibition allows us to take a journey through olfactory territories and artistic works to understand how both arts inspire each other.» The delegate also highlighted the unique nature of this proposal, as «it is a different exhibition that allows us to explore Madrid through smell.»
A journey through the capital through smell
The exhibition offers an olfactory journey through eight emblematic spaces of the city, culminating in the En el compás del verano exhibition at Espacio Cultural Serrería Belga. The route starts at CentroCentro, in the Palacio de Cibeles, with the scent of violet, connecting to a popular and sweet Madrid. It continues at the Casa de la Panadería in Plaza Mayor with the scent of chocolate, associated with the city’s festivals and century-old chocolatiers like San Ginés.
The third space, the Instituto San Isidro, hosts the scent of lemon, energetic and vibrant, always associated with the city by San Isidro, the patron saint of Madrid. The scent of carnation, symbol of the Villa, will be found at the tourist information point in Plaza de Oriente. In the Parque de la Bombilla, the scent of roses will be featured as part of the olfactory roots of the city, while Matadero Madrid will be linked to leather, connecting with industrial Madrid. As a enveloping background note, wood and resin will be integrated into the atmosphere of Conde Duque.
The journey culminates at Espacio Cultural Serrería Belga, where visitors can enjoy the scent of Veranos de la Villa, a composition created for the occasion that brings together all the olfactory notes presented throughout the journey. This fragrance is accompanied by a selection of works from the olorVISUAL collection, promoted by Ernesto Ventós, featuring pieces by artists such as Ouka Leele or Chema Madoz.
The exhibition establishes a dialogue between contemporary art and the olfactory interpretation of the city proposed by the Perfume Academy. The works are organized around four olfactory territories – lemon, floral, toasty, and leather – where art and scent intertwine in an accessible, didactic, and sensory experience that celebrates smell as a cultural tool and a vehicle of memory.
This exhibition can be visited from Monday to Friday from 11:00 to 20:00, Saturdays from 12:00 to 20:00, and Sundays from 12:00 to 18:00. Four olfactory workshops will also be offered in the auditorium of Espacio Cultural Serrería Belga on July 16 and 17, each lasting one hour with a capacity of 30 people. /
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