Clara Chanisheff

To live is to breathe and to breathe is to smell.

We take approximately 24,000 breaths each day, inhaling molecules with every breath, even while we sleep. All of this enters the brain and subconscious, yet we utilise 20% of that information.

By collecting and analysing my own olfactory data through Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), I investigate how smells shape our personal and social boundaries, influence memory, and define our relationship with language. This work brings the often overlooked and intangible aspects of smell into focus, prompting reflection on the consequences of hyper-sanitation and the diminishing presence of natural sensory cues in our daily lives. Body Language challenges the commodification and regulation of our sensory experiences, questioning the evolving relationship between an individual’s biodata, personal freedom, and the pressures of political compliance.