Perfume Stories: Alchemy and Essence

“It was inevitable: the scent of bitter almonds always reminded him of the fate of unrequited love”.

— Love in the Time of Cholera , Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Perfume Stories: Alchemy and Essence is an innovative multi-sensory approach to learning based on olfaction and perfume.

Michael O’Shaughnessy has been invited to deliver two bespoke workshops. Each scent based session is framed around autobiographical memories and storytelling. Through the Senses attendees will be given a combination of specially prepared papers – perfumes and unique scents that will be part of an olfactory journey. 

From HMP Liverpool to Ramsgate. This is time travel.

Before attending this workshop please refrain or limit the amount of perfume or cologne you apply-  thanks!

This unique methodology provided a foundation for learning and rehabilitation for prisoners at His Majesty’s Prisons in the UK. This project began in 2021 when it was installed as part of the Tate Exchange Programme at Liverpool Tate. Since its pilot with prisoners at HMP Liverpool in 2022, this programme has run at 8 other HMP sites in the North.

“ The scent brought out a few different emotions, in most ways it touched my heart because it reminded me of some of the good times.”

— Inmate, HMP Liverpool

Michael O’Shaughnessy is a Senior Lecturer and drawing tutor on the Graphic Design and Illustration Programme at Liverpool School of Art / LJMU.

www.moshaughnessy.com

Perfume Stories was shortlisted at the North East Prison Group Awards 2024

Michael has also developed new partnerships with Pupil Referral Unit Bishopton in the North-East and at Bank View, a specialist SEND school in Liverpool.

Michael O’Shaughnessy and Perfume Stories has been featured in The Guardian, Positive News and appeared on BBC Radio 4 Saturday Live and BBC 5Live with Adrian Chiles.