Biography

Francesca Casale SENSU (Ciriè, 1990) is an olfactory artist. She holds a degree in Herbal Techniques. She has attended numerous perfumery courses and worked for major companies in the industry. She later enrolled at the Albertina Academy of Fine Arts in Turin, directing her studies in olfactory communication and olfactory art. In fact, her artistic research focuses on the relationship between the sphere of the visible and the invisible. Reconstructing the meaning of a place, therefore, means enriching it with an added value, a testimony of history through the suggestion between the container and its content. The real usually has a smell, and recreating it is nothing more than searching for it in the unconscious.

Olfactory Planets: A Journey Through Scent and Memory

Sensu’s Olfactory Planets invites visitors to embark on an immersive journey through scent and color. As a finalist in the 19th Arte Laguna Prize exhibition in Venice, this installation draws audiences into a labyrinth designed to explore the depths of memory and imagination. Drawing from the psychological phenomenon of pareidolia—the tendency to perceive familiar images in abstract forms—Sensu sparks memories not through visuals but through fragrance, evoking moments and emotions buried deep within the subconscious.

The installation features suspended “planets”—delicate, fragrance-infused discs that evoke both celestial bodies and molecular structures. Each planet is defined by its unique color and scent, encouraging olfactory interaction that separates fragrance from traditional visual cues. This intentional disconnect fosters “olfactory memory rehabituation,” allowing scent to be experienced free from the usual cultural and commercial associations. In this way, visitors are invited to reconnect with the essence of scent itself, unclouded by branding and media influence.

Sensu’s work evokes a profound sense of déjà vu, exploring Freud’s concept of the “uncanny,” where familiar sensations emerge in unfamiliar contexts. Recognisable scents, paired with unexpected colours and forms, disrupt our natural expectations, revealing how olfactory memories operate independently of sight. By highlighting the chemical similarities between scents—such as those of roses and artichokes—she encourages viewers to reevaluate their sensory associations.

Sensu’s background in pharmacy and sculpture informs her work, giving her a distinct perspective on the chemistry of scent and its creative potential. As a matter of fact, the material of the planets is the result of a cosmetic formula developed by the artist. The installation turns each “planet” into a layered metaphor for how scent and memory are interconnected at a molecular level, provoking new interpretations of even the most familiar fragrances.