Blog | Michael Borkowsky | Perfumer of the People

May 11, 2020
2 min

A Perfumer in a Pandemic

As soon as lockdown was announced I endeavoured to adapt and continue developing my artistic practice as much as possible. What actually happened was I ended up playing with Lego. In fairness I began in earnest; visiting my studio at the end of March in order to pack as many things as possible into a few suitcases and construct a studio of sorts in my dining room. Proudly, I arranged my bottles, essential oils and paints orderly and took a few pictures for the inevitable Inst

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Michael Borkowsky

Feb 22, 2020
1 min

Making a Commercial Perfume

This rather innocuous image represents the initial development of something I have thus far unexplored; selling perfume commercially. This perfume sample – outsourced to fragrance suppliers Carvansons to my specifications – will be sold at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery from May 2020, to coincide with their upcoming Pre-Raphaelite exhibition. While this unisex fragrance is designed with an element of mass appeal, it still contains a certain conceptual weight, as it acts as an

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Michael Borkowsky

Oct 27, 2019
1 min

Perfume Portrait #107 – JanCarlo Caling

JanCarlo Caling 50ml EDT Head – Petitgrain, Lemon Heart – Cypress, Ginger Body – Sandalwood Description – A celebration of masculinity, this nominally woody fragrance is complimented by bursts of ginger and lemon; symbols of happiness. Caling’s The End of a Journey is an acrylic painting on paper. The colours used also project joy, which is what Caling wants the viewers to feel when they are looking at my painting. The work also takes inspiration from the term “self love” a

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Michael Borkowsky

Oct 22, 2019
2 min

Layers

This October saw me stage my ninth Perfume as Practice exhibition, which was held at Centrespace Gallery, Bristol and featured 18 perfumes, each a portrait of another artist and created using my well-established process that begins by asking artists the question ‘why do you make art?’ then responding to the answer received through scent design; capturing the essence of the artist. As well as the core principle of subverting our expectations of perfumery by placing it in a con

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Private View Invitation – Perfume as Practice at Centrespace, Bristol

Michael Borkowsky

Sep 28, 2019
1 min

Private View Invitation – Perfume as Practice at Centrespace, Bristol

I would like to invite you all to the Private View of my upcoming Perfume as Practice exhibition at Centrespace, Bristol on Friday 4th October, 6-8pm. Perfume as Practice is an exhibition that looks at the artistic potential of perfumery and how it can be used to create portraiture. The exhibition will comprise 18 perfumes, each a portrait of another artist. These perfume portraits are achieved through a process that begins by asking artists the question ‘why do you make art?

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Perfume Making Workshop at Exchange Place Studios

Michael Borkowsky

Jul 12, 2019
1 min

Perfume Making Workshop at Exchange Place Studios

On Saturday 27th July I’m running a perfume making workshop from 11am – 1pm at Exchange Place Studios, Sheffield, as part of Fronteer‘s Botanicals exhibition. For £20 the workshop provides a fantastic opportunity to learn about the art of perfumery and make a perfume of your own ready to take home. I’d love to see you there! More info and tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/perfume-making-workshop-tickets-63127520112 #workshop #perfumelovers #aroma #teaching #oils #b

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Michael Borkowsky

Jul 2, 2019
1 min

100 Not Out

June 2019 marked the 9th incarnation of Perfume as Practice, which was staged at Asylum Gallery, Wolverhampton. The exhibition comprised of 12 perfume portraits and 5 paintings, themed under the idea of protest. The exhibition also represented a milestone for the project as a whole, as it housed the 100th perfume portrait I have created since the project’s conception in late 2015. The 100th perfume portrait was of artist Hannah Taylor. Here it is presented next to the very fi

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Michael Borkowsky

Jun 25, 2019
1 min

Perfumer of the People

My current Perfume as Practice solo exhibition is open at Asylum Gallery, Wolverhampton, until 29th June. As you may know, I theme my Perfume as Practice exhibitions around specific themes. Doing so allows me to respond to spaces and place perfumery in different contexts, reveling the capacity scent has to accommodate contemporary art concepts. It also allows me to play with a fragrance industry convention of unveiling a themed or seasonal collection. The theme for my Wolverh

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Michael Borkowsky

May 20, 2019
1 min

Perfume Making Workshops in Manchester

On Friday 24th May I am hosting two perfume making workshops at Manchester cradft and design centre. One at 11am – 1pm and one at 2 – 4pm. These 2 hour workshops begin with me introducing my unique, artistic approach perfumery and giving a working demonstration of how to make an Eau De Toilette. I will guide you through all aspects of perfume design including an explanation of fragrance types, an introduction to fragrance notes and how to blend oils to achieve the perfect fra

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Notes from an Exhibition – Perfume as Practice SS19

Michael Borkowsky

Apr 22, 2019
2 min

Notes from an Exhibition – Perfume as Practice SS19

Earlier this month I had the privilege of staging Perfume as Practice SS19 at Lumen Crypt Gallery, London. The opportunity afforded me the chance to exhibit a solo show in London for the first time; bringing my unique approach to perfumery to a new audience. I went into the exhibition with no real connections with the art scene in London, aside from a handful of artists I knew or worked with previously. As such, I didn’t have any expectations of how well my work would be rece

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Perfume Portrait #92 – Garfield of London

Michael Borkowsky

Apr 4, 2019
1 min

Perfume Portrait #92 – Garfield of London

Head – Tangerine, Peppermint Heart – Lavendar, Rosemary Body – Ylang Ylang Description – Inherently joyous, this fragrance embodies all that is positive about the world. Herbal and citrus notes radiate a happiness that can instantly be imparted, and this gives way to florals, which exude a more contemplative – but equally pleasurable – inner peace. This fragrance will be exhibited alongside 9 other perfume portraits at Lumen Crypt Gallery, London, from 4th – 7th April 2019. #

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Michael Borkowsky

Apr 3, 2019
1 min

Perfume Portrait #91 – Isabela Castelan

Head – Pomegranate Heart -Sea salt, Nutmeg Body – Frankincense Description – An ode to Primordial Greek God Anake; the personification of compulsion and referencing innate yet philosophical desire to initiate creative action. From chaos, Anake creates, through action, the earth, heaven and sea. As such this fragrance houses all three of these elements, from it’s symbolic top notes to it’s earthy base. This fragrance will be exhibited alongside 9 other perfume portraits at Lum

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Michael Borkowsky

Apr 1, 2019
1 min

Perfume Portrait #90 – Suman

Head – Mandarin Heart – Neroli Body – Cedarwood Description – A clear, direct fragrance that gives you the apparatus you need to express yourself: From confident citrus offering mental clarity to a strong, grounded body of cedarwood. Neroli gives balance to the fragrance; offering a rounded symbol of the freedom to be who you want to be. This fragrance will be exhibited alongside 9 other perfume portraits at Lumen Crypt Gallery, London from 4th – 7th April 2019. #aroma #olfac

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Michael Borkowsky

Apr 1, 2019
1 min

Perfume Portrait #89 – Kathryn Monks

Head – Red Thyme, Bay Leaf Heart – Marjoram Body – Patchouli Description – From leaves harvested at specific times to reveal specific scents to a consistent, earthy bed of patchouli, this fragrance is an ode to the seasons; referencing the transient beauty of nature while revealing its workings and processes. This fragrance will be exhibited alongside 9 other perfume portraits at Lumen Crypt Gallery, London, from 4th – 7th April 2019. #aroma #olfactory #leaved #culture #beaut

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Michael Borkowsky

Mar 31, 2019
1 min

Perfume Portrait #88 – Wild Bunny Arts

Head – Eucalyptus, Bergamot Heart – Cinnamon, Coriander Body – Patchouli Description – A refreshing, powerful and inherently colourful potion that gifts awe and happiness to all those who encounter it whilst providing the empathy, mental strength and grounding required to combat injustices through creative action. This fragrance will be exhibited alongside 9 other perfume portraits at Lumen Crypt Gallery, London from 4th – 7th April. #event #happiness #portraiture #aroma #olf

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Perfume Portrait #87 – Elinor Clare Rowlands

Michael Borkowsky

Mar 30, 2019
1 min

Perfume Portrait #87 – Elinor Clare Rowlands

Head – Bitter orange, Sea salt Heart – Ginger, Black pepper Body – Patchouli, Frankincense, Driftwood Description – The story of Leviathan, told through scent and acting as a metaphor for how creative action gives us tools for combating wrongs. This vivid and colorful narrative sees grounded, nurturing base notes eventually triumph over the hash cauldron of potent bitter fruits and spices. This fragrance will be exhibited at Lumen Crypt Gallery, London, from 4th – 7th April 2

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Michael Borkowsky

Mar 27, 2019
1 min

Perfume Portrait #86 – Rosha Nutt

Head – Sweet Orange Heart – Rosemary Body – Frankincense Description – Taking cues from ritual and pagan ceremony This refreshing yet balanced fragrance will provide you the apparatus you need to instigate creative action. This fragrance will be exhibited alongside 9 other perfume portraits at Lumen Crypt Gallery, London, from 4th – 7th April. #aroma #olfactory #refreshing #portrait #balance #culture #Art #perfume #smell #exhibition #fragrance #events #Scent #Olfactoryart

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Michael Borkowsky

Mar 25, 2019
1 min

Perfume Portrait #85 – Matilde Tomat

Head – Cotton, Cut Grass Heart – Geranium, Dandelion Body – Ylang Ylang, Patchouli Description – A description of a calming, expansive landscape, this balanced fragrance elicits the capacity scent has for communication while connecting you to nature. This perfume will be exhibited alongside 9 other perfume portraits at Lumen Crypt Gallery, London, from 4 – 7th April 2019 #London #contemporaryart #aroma #olfactory #conceptualart #balance #culture #making #soloexhibition #Art #

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Michael Borkowsky

Mar 24, 2019
1 min

Perfume Portrait #84 – Anthony Carr

Head – Sage, Petitgrain Heart – Black pepper Body – Frankincense, Rosewood Description – a fragrance that simultaneously acts as a medicinal cure-all when embarking on a journey as well as a description of that journey: Top notes reference a certain locality, which gives way to increasingly exotic ingredients. This perfume will be exhibited alongside 9 other perfume portraits at Lumen Crypt Gallery, London, from 4 – 7th April 2019. #London #portraiture #olfactory #portrait #c

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Michael Borkowsky

Mar 13, 2019
1 min

Perfume Portrait #83 – Geraint Roberts

Head – Apple, cut grass Heart -Camphor, cypress Body – Sandalwood, Musk Description – Invigorating yet grounded, this fragrance is contains everything you need to comprehend an apple tree: A symbol that can change its meaning based on your experiences. The body is complemented by musk, a synthetic oil that references a human desire to find connections in life. This fragrance will be exhibited at Lumen Crypt Gallery, London, from 4th – 7th April 2019. #olfcatory #contemporarya

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