Fire in the Alps
In the depths of winter, the Alps have always glowed. Not with sunlight, but with fire: small flames flickering in the hearth, great orange towers rising on the mountainsides and a thousand quiet rituals that soften the cold as snow gathers on rooftops. Families stack their wood with care, tucking their hopes for spring into bonfires, and listening for the distant tread of masked forest spirits wandering between the trees.
These were more than traditions. They were reminders that life moved in circles, that every object, scent, spark and shadow belonged to the shared rhythm between home, forest and season.
This Aromathèque invites you into that world: into the curl of woodsmoke, the crisp bite of alpine air and the warmth of winter rituals that once carried people through darkness toward renewal and belonging, carrying a quiet magic that lingers even today.
Tickets
Raised in the mountainous valley of the Bregenzerwald, Anna Fink is an artist, designer and researcher, revealing the hidden rituals woven into the fires and forests of the Alps. Her work explores the small and large traditions of the region. From Funken bonfires that send winter away, to the everyday rhythms of wood-stacking, and the folklore that once guided communities through the long, dark months.
Through scent, storytelling and tactile experiences, you will travel into the forests, kitchens and snow-covered streets of the Alps, exploring the rituals, rhythms and seasonal magic that tied people to the land and how these traditions shaped the way they lived, celebrated and cared for their homes.
About Aromathéque
Every month olfactory artist Frank Bloem curates a program where experts, artists, designers and scientists shift our perspectives on what we eat, drink, touch, inhale, secrete and smell. These so called "lower senses" are not only placed lower in our body but also were considered through history as lesser, more banal and not sophisticated. We think differently. Starting from a simple theme with a thought provoking question, we go on a journey and inviting people from different disciplines to discover the world that lies behind everyday phenomena.
Frank Bloem
Frank Bloem is an artist who uses scent as his primary medium. He started his lab The Snifferoo in 2016 and creates scent art projects. From elephant scents for Artis Zoo to erotic pine scents for festival Into the great wide Open. He works with artist and museums and has a long term collaboration with The Embassy of the North Sea for who he made art projects and a perfume. For Mediamatic Frank has been active since 2017. From Collaborating on Odorama evenings with Caro Verbeek to giving scent and distillation workshops. Since 2019 he is the manager of the Aroma Lab that he set up together with Niklaus Metler.
Presentation about different body smells and smell samples from the elephant intimate body parts. -
With: Frank BloemAnna Fink
Anna Maria Fink is a designer, researcher and landscape architect who focuses on helping people build a closer connection to the landscapes around them. Through her studio, Atelier Fischbach, she explores places by walking, observing and working directly with natural materials. She turns these experiences into gardens, installations, books and public workshops that show how daily habits and simple acts of care can support healthier relationships with the land.
Based between the Netherlands and the Lake Constance region, Anna also teaches at several Dutch design schools and collaborates with artists, architects and researchers. Her work brings people together to share stories, learn from the landscape and imagine more caring ways of living with their environment.
Information
Thursday 11th of December
19:30 - 21:00
Ticket: €12,50
Student, kunstenaar, Stadspas: €8,50
