Two Centuries of Stink: Smell mapping Widnes past and present

The towns in Northern Britain were the location for many of the world’s first chemical factories where chemical manufacturing flourished for over 170 years. Widnes in Cheshire, England, was a key location for this thriving industry that pioneered new base chemicals which were transformed into textile dyes, glass, and soap, materials which have come to define the industrial era. This period in British history is captured within Catalyst Science Discovery Centre and Museum. Yet, whilst many have praised the innovation of the chemical industry, there was a considerable downside: atmospheric pollution. Today, Widnes has a reputation as a ‘smelly’, ‘dirty’, and undesirable place to live. In 2019, Catalyst invited olfactory artist Kate McLean to work with their collection and local community. The project – Two Centuries of Stink: Smell Mapping Widnes Past and Present – explores how olfactory art can be utilised to promote a deeper understanding of how we experience the olfactory landscape. Alternative atmospheric experiences of landscape were collected by inviting people to share and map their ‘smell memories’ and smell perceptions of Widnes, which were used to design the exhibition. In this chapter, project findings, curatorial and design decisions involved in generating an understanding of odorous atmospheres are shared, and the concept of an olfactory palimpsest is proposed for use in future research into atmospheres.