24/7
24/7
24/7 delves into the invisible yet potent relationship between smell, time, memory, and the concept of belonging. Smell, being one of the first senses developed in the womb, is integral to how we form emotional and physical bonds with the spaces around us. By recording 24 hours of scent in my home, I aim to capture the rhythms and atmosphere that embody my lived experience, questioning how smells shapes our connection to place and memory consciously and subconciously. Smell is often overlooked or difficult to describe, yet its impact is profound. It evokes emotions like love, fear, or shame, especially in spaces we associate with intimacy and safety and it even deterimes the relationships we have.
The politics of smell are deeply intertwined with social structures such as race, class, and religion. Different cultural foods produce scents that can evoke both pride and alienation—depending on context, the same smells that signify home to one person can be stigmatised in another. For instance, foods that are essential to immigrant or non-Western communities can often be treated as ‘other’ in Western spaces, marking individuals by their scents in ways that are often beyond their control. Similarly, class distinctions arise through the contrasting scents of ‘clean’ food, expensive perfume, and the sterility of high-end spaces versus the smells associated with fast food or densely populated areas. A criminology student once shared how the study of smell is part of her course, pointing out how certain scents such as proximity to disposal units can over time be linked to crime, poverty, and marginalised neighbourhoods. The smell of an area can come to define its reputation, reflecting the socio-political context in which it exists.
Religious practices are also tied to specific smells, as food preparation and ritual are often shaped by spiritual beliefs. For example, many Jain families avoid root vegetables, and this transforms the aromas generated by cooking, imbuing the kitchen with a distinct profile rooted in tradition and ethics. In 24/7, I explore these intersections, using smell as a medium to express how identity, belonging, and the politics of everyday life are inscribed on our bodies through sensory experiences that remain largely unspoken. The project becomes a meditation on how we perceive our environments and how the invisible yet powerful forces of scent map onto our social and emotional landscapes.