A Smell So Sweet: Perfume Fountain in Greenpoint, North Brooklyn

The artwork is the collaborative outcome of public art initiative Trust Art, artist and perfumer Anne McClain, and Brooklyn artists Lance McGregor, Alan Iwamura, Isaac Tecosky, Jarek Klim, and Facundo Newbery inspired by the question: Can compassion be transmitted with scent?

A volunteer trip to Mexico in the summer of 2009 was the first chapter of the Humanity project. McClain spent one week volunteering at Casa de los Angeles, a day care center for orphans and children of working single mothers. During her time there, she formed a deep connection with the children, and from this experience she started distilling her own feelings and memories into a fragrance to evoke a sense of compassion. The initial drafts of the fragrance were formulated in the fall of 2009 in the town of Grasse in southern France, the historic center for the creation of perfume, where McClain studied.

The first studies of the fragrance were literal, based on the scents and flavors experienced on the inspiration trip in Mexico. McClain then sought to create a more interpretive experience of the fragrance, eventually leading to the use of Indian white lotus, considered a sacred flower in ancient cultures.

In January of 2010 a wearable retail version of the fragrance was launched, the Humanity Fragrance First Edition. The fragrance successfully began raising funds and awareness for the Humanity Fountain, just as the proposed site was approved by the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation and supported by the Open Space Alliance of North Brooklyn, a community organization in the neighborhood.

In June, fabrication began on the fountain as designed by industrial designer Lance McGregor, who used the golden ratio as the basis for the proportions of the fountain and incorporated an anatomical glass heart as an embrace of vulnerability. Glass artists Alan Iwamura and Isaac Tecosky led the effort on the heart, which emerged after a series of studies at the Urban Glass studio. Sculptor Jarek Klim fashioned a cast concrete top panel with the imprints of leaves from McGolrick Park etching the surface.

The next drafts of the fragrance will be developed in collaboration with renowned fragrance house Robertet, as McClain introduces Robertet perfumer Olivia Jan to artifacts of her trip, as well as the people and communities surrounding the fountain, which she will regularly gather through a series of free workshops.

Location and Event Dates:
The Humanity fountain was installed in Brooklyn's McGolrick Park on August 7, 2010 and is on view through November 6, 2010. The Humanity Fountain is located at the Russell Street entrance to the park, between Nassau and Driggs Avenues. Powered by solar energy, when the sun is fully shining the scent and sounds emanating from the Humanity fountain create an environment welcome to contemplation.

McClain will offer workshops on basic perfumery and aromatherapy throughout the fall, as a way to continue exploring scent as a medium of compassion.

About Trust Art
Trust Art is a philanthropic initiative to create a self-sustaining community for the production of public art. Trust Art debuted in February 2009 at the TED conference. For more information, visit www.trustart.org.

About Anne McClain
Anne McClain studied at the Grasse Institute of Perfumery in southern France before launching her own independent fragrance line, MCMC Fragrances. For more information, please visit www.MCMCfragrances.com.

About Robertet
Established in 1850, Roberet is a family owned fragrance and flavor company that specializes in natural raw materials. For more information, please visit www.Robertet.com.

About NYC Department of Parks & Recreation
The City of New York/Parks & Recreation has been showing public art in city parks since 1967. For information on our temporary public art program please visit www.nyc.gov/parks.art.

About the Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn
The Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn (OSA) is a nonprofit that raises funds and works with the community to improve existing parks and help create new parks in North Brooklyn. For more information, visit www.osanb.org.

2010


	A Smell So Sweet: Perfume Fountain in Greenpoint, North Brooklyn Through November 6, the North Brooklyn community and visitors alike will be pleasantly greeted by an aromatic fountain in Greenpoint's McGolrick Park. Adorned with a glass anatomical heart, the Humanity Fountain emits an all-natural fragrance which carries across much of the park's landscape. The artwork is the collaborative outcome of public art initiative Trust Art, artist and perfumer Anne McClain, and Brooklyn artists Lance McGregor, Alan Iwamura, Isaac Tecosky, Jarek Klim, and Facundo Newbery inspired by the question: Can compassion be transmitted with scent? A volunteer trip to Mexico in the summer of 2009 was the first chapter of the Humanity project. McClain spent one week volunteering at Casa de los Angeles, a day care center for orphans and children of working single mothers. During her time there, she formed a deep connection with the children, and from this experience she started distilling her own feelings and memories into a fragrance to evoke a sense of compassion. The initial drafts of the fragrance were formulated in the fall of 2009 in the town of Grasse in southern France, the historic center for the creation of perfume, where McClain studied. The first studies of the fragrance were literal, based on the scents and flavors experienced on the inspiration trip in Mexico. McClain then sought to create a more interpretive experience of the fragrance, eventually leading to the use of Indian white lotus, considered a sacred flower in ancient cultures. In January of 2010 a wearable retail version of the fragrance was launched, the Humanity Fragrance First Edition. The fragrance successfully began raising funds and awareness for the Humanity Fountain, just as the proposed site was approved by the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation and supported by the Open Space Alliance of North Brooklyn, a community organization in the neighborhood. In June, fabrication began on the fountain as designed by industrial designer Lance McGregor, who used the golden ratio as the basis for the proportions of the fountain and incorporated an anatomical glass heart as an embrace of vulnerability. Glass artists Alan Iwamura and Isaac Tecosky led the effort on the heart, which emerged after a series of studies at the Urban Glass studio. Sculptor Jarek Klim fashioned a cast concrete top panel with the imprints of leaves from McGolrick Park etching the surface. The next drafts of the fragrance will be developed in collaboration with renowned fragrance house Robertet, as McClain introduces Robertet perfumer Olivia Jan to artifacts of her trip, as well as the people and communities surrounding the fountain, which she will regularly gather through a series of free workshops. Location and Event Dates: The Humanity fountain was installed in Brooklyn's McGolrick Park on August 7, 2010 and is on view through November 6, 2010. The Humanity Fountain is located at the Russell Street entrance to the park, between Nassau and Driggs Avenues. Powered by solar energy, when the sun is fully shining the scent and sounds emanating from the Humanity fountain create an environment welcome to contemplation. McClain will offer workshops on basic perfumery and aromatherapy throughout the fall, as a way to continue exploring scent as a medium of compassion. About Trust Art Trust Art is a philanthropic initiative to create a self-sustaining community for the production of public art. Trust Art debuted in February 2009 at the TED conference. For more information, visit www.trustart.org. About Anne McClain Anne McClain studied at the Grasse Institute of Perfumery in southern France before launching her own independent fragrance line, MCMC Fragrances. For more information, please visit www.MCMCfragrances.com. About Robertet Established in 1850, Roberet is a family owned fragrance and flavor company that specializes in natural raw materials. For more information, please visit www.Robertet.com. About NYC Department of Parks & Recreation The City of New York/Parks & Recreation has been showing public art in city parks since 1967. For information on our temporary public art program please visit www.nyc.gov/parks.art. About the Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn The Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn (OSA) is a nonprofit that raises funds and works with the community to improve existing parks and help create new parks in North Brooklyn. For more information, visit www.osanb.org. 2010
	Another Website Also visit our newest website OffbeatNewMexico.com. Thanks to FreeFind for providing the search technology for this website.