Scent Lab
A Public Program by Barrio Pop Studio
Where scent, contemporary art, and neuroscience meet.
Scent Lab is an immersive public program developed by Barrio Pop Studio that explores how scent shapes the ways we experience contemporary art.
Created by curator Carlos Moreno in collaboration with neuroaesthetics researcher Dr. Niru Kumar, each session combines guided looking, botanical scent exploration, reflective dialogue, and creative practice to deepen our relationship with works of art.
Grounded in contemporary curatorial practice and emerging research in neuroaesthetics, Scent Lab invites participants to move beyond visual observation and engage with art through the full spectrum of sensory experience. By slowing down and activating memory, attention, and imagination through scent, participants discover new ways of connecting with artwork, place, and one another.
Each Scent Lab is developed in response to a specific exhibition, creating a unique experience that reflects the themes, materials, and emotional landscape of the artists on view.
No prior art experience is necessary. Whether you are an artist, educator, museum visitor, or simply curious about the relationship between scent and creativity, Scent Lab offers an accessible and meaningful space for reflection, conversation, and discovery.
What to Expect
Over the course of approximately 90 minutes, participants will:
Experience a guided slow-looking tour of the exhibition.
Explore a curated selection of botanical scents and olfactory prompts.
Participate in facilitated discussion connecting scent, memory, and visual culture.
Create a personal mandala inspired by the exhibition and sensory experience.
Reflect through journaling and optional group dialogue.
Leave with their artwork and additional resources for continued creative practice.
Participants may also choose to contribute anonymously to an ongoing community-based neuroaesthetics research project examining how scent and creative engagement influence our experience of contemporary art.
Session Information
Duration: 90 minutes
Capacity: 8 participants
Suggested Donation: $30
Sliding-scale and community-supported tickets are available.
Accessibility
Scent Lab is designed to welcome participants of all artistic backgrounds and levels of experience. Seating is available throughout the session, and large-print and bilingual materials are provided whenever possible.
Sessions include exposure to natural botanical aromas and incense. If you have fragrance sensitivities or specific accessibility needs, please contact us before registering so we can make appropriate accommodations whenever possible.
About the Facilitators
Carlos Moreno is the founder of Barrio Pop Studio and Scent Fair Austin. His curatorial practice investigates scent as a contemporary artistic medium through exhibitions, public programs, and interdisciplinary collaborations that explore memory, identity, and place.
Dr. Niru Kumar is Director of Operations at Equity Through Art and a neuroaesthetics researcher whose work examines how engagement with the arts supports brain health, emotional well-being, and collective meaning-making.
Registration
Space is intentionally limited to eight participants to foster an intimate and reflective environment.
Advance registration is required.