SCHMERZH – Memories Don’t Evaporate
A scent monument for urban memory
For KiöR Stadt Zürich, Live Lab developed the art installation SCHMERZH together with artist Olivia Wiederkehr. At six gentrified locations in Zurich, inconspicuous manhole covers became scent monuments that made collective pain sensorially tangible in public space. Marked by pink circles, posters and a digital platform, the intervention invited passers-by to pause and encountermemories that often remain invisible in the city.
Over the course of three weeks, a specially composed scent rose from selected urban sites. Earthy notes, roses, geraniums and mineral accents merged into an emotional city biography – spanning trade and loss, healing and urban materiality.
Accompanied by Schmerzh.ch, a poetic Instagram channel and take-away room fragrances, SCHMERZH resonated beyond the installation itself. The work opened up a layered reflection on memory culture, participation and public space.
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