artLIVE – Olfactory Odyssey III is a one-of-a-kind olfactory art exhibition co-organized by MetaScent and Lotus Gallery, taking place in Ho Chi Minh City from July 19 to 27, 2025.
Olfactory Odyssey III – Timeless Heritage
Within each of us lies a scent we cannot name, yet it evokes the most vivid memories—perhaps the wisps of incense on Lunar New Year’s Eve, the smell of freshly steamed sticky rice in grandma’s kitchen, or the faint trace of perfume on our mother’s clothes on the first day of school. These are fragments of an intangible heritage we carry with us for life.
Olfactory Odyssey III – Timeless Heritage invites you on a multisensory artistic journey where scent and visual art intertwine to awaken memory, emotion, and aesthetic depth. Visitors will be guided through immersive spaces where paintings and fragrances engage in a poetic dialogue, enriching the visual experience with nuanced scent compositions—from traditional roots to contemporary expressions.
Beyond showcasing sensory artworks, Olfactory Odyssey III aspires to bring perfumery artistry closer to the public and cultivate a new generation of young Vietnamese perfumers.
A Voyage Across Fragrant Realms
Olfactory Odyssey III is a unique journey through the world’s most aromatic landscapes. What sets it apart is the way it redefines the notion of “heritage,” moving beyond the traditional confines of history and artifacts. Here, each bottle of perfume is a living artwork, layered with time—crafted from materials such as agarwood, native herbs, and tropical floral essences, and infused with deeply personal inspirations: the sea breeze of Phan Thiết, the sticky rice aroma of bánh tét during Tết, or even the fiery scent of a bygone Saigon love affair.
Visitors are invited not only to smell, but to immerse themselves in the stories behind each creation—to touch the raw materials and engage in conversation with the perfumers who bring these fragrances to life.
Theme: Timeless Heritage
The theme Timeless Heritage invites the public to step into another dimension—one of remembrance, reconnection, and revival of things thought long past. Each zone represents a slice of time: from the rich, traditional memories of Living Heritage, to the deeply personal scent compositions of Modern Alchemy, where fragrance becomes a new, emotive, and imaginative language of storytelling.
The journey continues in Emotion in Scent, where each stop unveils a distinct emotional note, encouraging you to stop looking and start feeling. Finally, Scent Fair lingers like the last note of a perfume—gentle, intimate, and memorable—offering you the chance to carry home a trace of feeling, transformed into a fragrance inspired by places across Asia and Oceania.
This year’s exhibition honors excellence in olfactory art through three award categories:
- Unique Heritage Scent – for creations deeply rooted in local culture;
- Legacy Scent – recognizing timeless, intergenerational artistry;
- Avant-Garde Scent – celebrating bold, boundary-pushing interpretations of heritage.
Olfactory Odyssey III is a convergence point—between artisans and scent lovers, between the past and the present, between heritage and innovation. In accompanying talk shows, perfume-making workshops, and the networking lounge, attendees can learn to appreciate fragrance with their hearts, and listen to stories told through scent.
“A single drop of perfume can hold a lifetime of memory.” – Huỳnh Hải Yến, Founder of MetaScent
If you’re seeking a different kind of art experience—one that transcends the visual, connects you deeply with Vietnamese culture, and offers a path to self-discovery through scent—Olfactory Odyssey III is an unmissable event this July.
Image: MetaScent Vietnam
📍 Venue: Lotus Gallery, C.space, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City
📅 Dates: July 19–27, 2025 | Opening Hours: 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM daily
🔗 Register to visit: https://forms.gle/ZYAFynKSzUdhfo199
