Are you looking, or actually seeing?

Welcome to Back of the Napkin, musings from Serviette for the cultured world.

It is often said that many are looking while few are actually seeing. As John Berger wrote in his seminal collection of essays, Ways of Seeing, “In no other form of society has there been such a concentration of images, such a density of visual messages.” This is certainly true of perfumery, where imagery and symbology bridge the gap between the visual and something as nebulous and personal as scent. But how exactly do we go about interpreting these visual messages? How do we begin to really see?

It’s easy to think of the act of seeing as something both innate and passive. This is hardly the case, however. Berger argues, “We never look at just one thing; we are always looking at the relation between things and ourselves.” The real trouble, then, is decoding and understanding this relation—an endeavor that, though far from straightforward, is highly rewarding in an age that seeks to minimize friction.

To begin, we turn to Amy E. Herman, art historian and author of Visual Intelligence: Sharpen Your Perception, Change Your Life. To Herman, perception is not a skill, but rather an ongoing practice, the result of a carefully curated sense of discipline and attentiveness. She advocates for a three step process—assess, analyze, and articulate. Serviette thereby humbly suggests the following exercise, an opportunity to see where others merely look.

Next time you’re at an art museum (or even taking a stroll around your neighborhood), be sure to slow down and take a moment to truly observe what’s in front of you. Look and look again. Change your perspective—literally—by approaching your subject from different angles, vantage points, and distances. Describe your subject in detailed, objective terms. Consider any and all sociopolitical or historical contexts. While it may feel daunting at first, we promise the practice is its own reward. For those in New York, the recent reopening of the New Museum—fresh from its $82 million expansion and a sweeping exhibition examining the relationship between humans and technology—offers a particularly apt proving ground for such exercises.

Serviette approaches perfumery much like Berger and Herman approach works of fine art: the act of formulation is its own way of seeing, a process that requires careful attention, contextualization and recontextualization. Priscus was the most recent triumph to emerge from this process, an endeavor to present a new interpretation of plum—one that differs from its traditional presentation in fragrance. Rather than following the darker, resinous, heavily spiced conventions of the genre, Priscus provides a wholly unique interpretation of plum, utilizing both plum blossom and a boozy umeshu (plum wine) note to create a lighter, airier, mouthwatering plum that is both intoxicating and delightfully tart. Like that one painting that captures your attention and refuses to let go, its true beauty lies in the details, with nuances that coyly unfurl with each wear. Seeing has never smelled so good.

Consider this week’s newsletter your permission to slow down, look, and look again. You may just find yourself surprised by what you see.