“MIP pilot program – VILLA ARSON
Carla Barkatz, who graduated from Villa Arson in 2020, is the winner of the Prix Essentiel-les MIP – VILLA ARSON 2024. This pilot program aims to support emerging creation, by giving Villa Arson alumni the opportunity to experiment in an innovative way with the relationship between artistic creation, the sensory dimension and scientific research, in partnership with the Musée International de la Parfumerie (MIP) and theInstitut de Chimie de l’Université Côte d’Azur.
In this context, Carla Barkatz presents the installation STEEL LIFE at the Musée International de la Parfumerie (MIP) from January 10 to June 15, 2025. STEEL LIFE, conceived in 2025, is an installation combining various materials – raw and sandblasted steel, copper, glass, honed porcelain – and exploring the notion of porosity. The work also incorporates a copper rust infusion and a three-finger clamp, embodying aesthetic and scientific research that questions social, physical and disciplinary permeability.
A dialogue between art, science and olfactory traditions
This installation examines the relationship between contemporary creation and olfactory dimensions by focusing on three main themes:
– the olfactory tradition of the glove-maker-perfumer, inspired by Simon Barbes’ historical recommendations on the treatment of gloves and skins;
– olfaction in workers’ literature, echoing the stories of R. Linhart, E. Zola, T. Pillon, G. Mungo and S. Veil;
– the medium of ceramics, used as a container and scent diffuser, amplifying the links between materials and senses.
A program to support emerging creation
The Prix Essentiel-les MIP – VILLA ARSON, initiated in 2022 by the Communauté d’Agglomération du Pays de Grasse (CAPG) and the Villa Arson, was born of a framework agreement signed by Jérôme Viaud, President of the CAPG, and Sylvain Lizon, Director of the Villa Arson. This program supports Villa Arson graduates (DNSEP, Master of Art) by enabling them to experiment in innovative ways with the relationship between art and olfaction.
Depuis 2023, le projet intègre un laboratoire de recherche grâce à la collaboration avec l’Université Côte d’Azur. Après Alice Magne en 2022 et Liv Jourdan en 2023, Carla Barkatz, lauréate 2024, poursuit cette dynamique en proposant une installation d’une richesse conceptuelle et esthétique unique.
