The hierarchy of senses solidified since the modern era has led to non-material senses being relegated to the periphery. This paper starts from a re-examination of those senses. Its objective is to rearrange the senses as a structure that reconfigures...
The hierarchy of senses solidified since the modern era has led to non-material senses being relegated to the periphery. This paper starts from a re-examination of those senses. Its objective is to rearrange the senses as a structure that reconfigures the relationship between the self and the world by rekindling and re-sensing those marginalized senses. The research, which began with the experience of scent, continued through the process of recording the moment of directly perceived fragrance and converting it into images and sound. Here, the non-material senses perceived were translated into and treated as the language of thought. Senses were transformed, fused, immersed, and expanded, resulting in a new identity and mode of existence.
Based on the theories of Merleau-Ponty, McLuhan, and Mark B.N. Hansen, this study shows that our body doesn't just receive information but actively interacts with the world. Here, the senses are not separate paths but a shared field where they all meet. To show this, I turned the 'invisible' sense of smell into something we can see and hear. First, the senses were split to show each detail clearly. Then, they were combined to create layers that make people feel fully immersed. Finally, these sensations were refined to create a deep resonance that fills the space. By capturing the smell and feeling of a specific moment through screen and sound, this study proves that our body creates a new sensory experience by connecting memory, place, and our senses.
However, the moment of transition inevitably involved selection and omission. The moment of visualizing and embodying the smell of that day involved choosing only a fraction of the countless sensory elements present, revealing that sensory conversion is a structure of selective reconfiguration. Within this selective reconfiguration, it was confirmed that converted and omitted senses, moments consciously evoked, and moments sinking into the unconscious coexist ambivalently. This was a moment of accidental choices, spontaneous decisions, and the intervention of affect and the unconscious. These moments of selection were not merely issues of taste or chance, a fact understood through Jacques Rancière's concept of the 'aesthetic unconscious.' The determination of which sensations become more meaningful or recede into the background was the result of an already learned system.
Consequently, when sensory conversion involves choosing what to retain and what to discard, we must accept that the resulting recollectionwill inevitably stray from the original event. These reconstructed fragments of the past serve as rearranged building blocks within a fresh spatial context. It is important to note that personal history is naturally selective, evolving into a narrative that grows increasingly distinct from factual reality over time. While such gapsintroduce the risk of misrepresentation, they simultaneously unlock a landscape of fresh perspectives. To stabilize this fluid subjectivity, the act of archivingemerges as a vital tool. Even though the hand of the creator still filters the content during the recording stage, securing a snapshot of the experience establishes a permanent anchorfor future engagement and renewed understanding
However, a record that is merely stored holds no meaning. It can only exert influence when re-read, re-interpreted, and used in the present moment. My work consists of sensory records that have reconstructed specific moments. These records can form new relationships of recognition through the process of being re-read and re-interpreted, mediated by the spectator's interpretation and participation. Thus, my work, which evokes memory and records it as a new sensation, operates as a device for reconfiguring the relationship between the self and the world, focused less on 'what' it says and more on 'how' it makes one feel.
Nevertheless, I feel that this research has not presented a complete theory of sensory conversion. My study remains merely one case exploring how the senses, mediated by olfaction, weave together the body. Especially the process of selection and omission revealed during sensory conversion remains a subject to be dealt with more closely in future work. However, I also realized that the tension between the conscious and unconscious within this selection process acts as both the starting point and the driving force for contemplating the senses.
In addition, personal sensory engagement is defined by its inherent subjectivity and ephemeral nature. Because these qualities often elude the grasp of formal records, any output translated into an individual immersive experience faces a natural hurdle in being universally perceived. Consequently, subsequent inquiries should strive to bridge this gap by incorporating spectator testimonials and examining the influence of cultural nuances. Such academic enrichment not only validates the research but also uncovers how diverse backgrounds shape perception. By identifying these interpretive variances, we can discover the essential keys to broadening the scope of future artistic endeavors.
In daily life, we constantly sense and recall past memories, but the sensations in fleeting memories easily dissipate. By re-contemplating the existence of the senses and fluently rearranging them, as done in this paper, the senses can cease to exist only as single emotions and lead to a new sensory order. In this new order, the senses have the potential to recover into a balanced state that complements each other, without being biased toward a specific sense. The continuous exploration of sensory fluidity will form the foundation for revealing the meaning of creation more clearly in my future work.