SENSORIUM: Debussy: La Mer and Scented Visions

Scented Visions:

Olfaction may be the most misunderstood and neglected of our senses, yet it is arguably also the most evocative and primal. Odors saturate our social and physical environments in numerous and dynamic ways, fundamentally shaping our impressions of people, places, and moments. Scents are also capable of triggering powerful memories and emotions. Moreover, smells can be highly subjective and dependent on an individual’s cultural background and personal experiences, and the same odor can equally delight and disgust different people. Is it possible for works of art to represent or evoke something as elusive and invisible as smell? From the “smellscapes” of traditional still life imagery to the cultural history of olfaction, this exhibition invites viewers to reflect on our sense of scents.

In collaboration with the Spartanburg Philharmonic, The Johnson Collection presents six iconic paintings shown in symphony with La Mer, a significant compositional feat in three movements by Claude Debussy (1862 – 1918) and the centerpiece of the Philharmonic’s 2025-26 season premiere. Debussy composed La Mer primarily relying on memory and visual art for inspiration, "preferring the seascapes available in painting and literature" to the physical sea. Often referred to as an Impressionist—a term he loathed despite being an admirer of the movement—Debussy employed non-traditional harmonies and dreamy atmospheres in his works, much like the French Impressionist painters used broken brushwork to conjure shifting light effects and to portray moments in time. The artworks on display have been selected by John Young Shik Concklin, the Philharmonic’s Music Director, to surround a viewer in the sights and sounds of the ever-shifting beauty of the sea. This exhibition invites you to engage your senses—both visually and musically—viewing paintings that capture La Mer’s marine inspiration and the evocative moods and movements of the ocean.

Curated by: John Young Shik Concklin, Music Director of the Spartanburg Philharmonic