Soft Sedation
Challenge your senses at Mediamatic’s Aroma Lab with Soft Sedation (Geosmin Yeast). By re-engineering yeast into futuristic scent factories, this artwork releases geosmin, the magnetic aroma of rain on dry earth that humans are hyper-sensitive to.
Step close, take a breath, and experience how synthetic biology can unlock a deep feeling of nostalgia.
Soft Sedation reimagines this natural scent by altering the metabolic pathways of yeast, enabling it to produce geosmin—an achievement made possible by the complete mapping of the yeast’s genome. By situating the installation within the historical context of a brewery, the piece reflects on the synthetic potential of yeast and its evolving role in future biotechnologies.
This genetic variation is displayed in the exhibition space with geosmin. De Block’s installation, Soft Sedation; Synthetic Synaesthesia does exactly that: it disperses geosmin produced by yeast throughout the exhibition space. The work explores how our genes influence our emotional responses. What emotion does it evoke in you?
Portrait of Matthijs De Block - ©Matthijs De Block -
Matthijs de Block
Matthijs De Block is a multidisciplinary artist who uses disruptive and alternative ways of experiencing art to create meaningful societal impact. Acting as an intermediary between science and the public, he uses his practice to provoke discussion on social and societal issues. His work with genetically modified organisms and bioart explores broader societal implications, serving as a catalyst for public debate and gaining coverage in media outlets such as De Tijd, De Morgen, Gazet van Antwerpen, DAMN Magazine, and the television program De Afspraak.
Soft Sedation by Matthijs De Block - ©Matthijs De Block -
Information
Exhibition
19:00 - 02:00, 7 November 2026
Mediamatic, Aroma Lab
Part of GMO: How far are you willing to mutate? during Museumnacht Amsterdam 2026
