Hisako Inoue2017
by Michael Buhrs
The aromas of antiquarian books stand at the center of the exhibition this publication accompanies. Hisako Inoue (b. Yokohama, 1974; lives and works in Yokohama) has gathered selected books from antiquarian bookshops, flea markets, and private homes. It would seem odd that she should make the book the object of a creative engagement focused on its olfactory dimension, setting aside its visual qualities and content: the printed book is a medium cherished for what it contains, and a well-made specimen appeals to the eye first and foremost. Tactile, auditory, and visual impressions enhance the relationship between book and reader. Yet scents trigger our implicit memories much more forcefully and can evoke states of mind of greater intensity than those instilled by seeing and hearing. Like the...