»Metabolic Futures II – The Politics of Smell«

What is the role of smell in our political lives? How has smell been industrialized and with what economic effects? To what extent is the management of smell related to the governance of space? Is the honeybee a product of contemporary industrial factory farming?

Humans, as well as animals and plants use odors to communicate, to recognize, to evaluate. Odors profoundly affect our social life by triggering emotions, forming memories and allowing us to bond with others. The loss of the sense of smell, on the other hand, often means alienation and isolation from our environment. At the same time, smell has been industrialized, with profound effects on food, bodies and cities.

This event examines how smell, politics and economics are interrelated. Together with artists, biologists, and geographers, we will follow the smellscapes of the city of Stuttgart and discover new perspectives on the politics of metabolism and the senses.

With Freia Achenbach & June Fàbregas (anima ona), Tini Aliman, Maan Barua, Uli Beisel, Giovanni Galizia, Matthew Gandy, Felix Heidenreich, José Morbán, Piloya Irene, Hannah Liya & Sophia Sadžakov, Angelo Neira, Silke Sachse, Marie Skeie, Kirsten Traynor, Tamarind Rossetti & Stephen Wright.

Where and When:
April 17, 2026: 6 pm, Akademie Schloss Solitude
April 18, 2026: 10 am, Hohenheimer Gärten; 3 pm, Künstlerhaus Stuttgart

The event will be held in English.

The event is the second in a series on the topic of metabolism, initiated by Maan Barua and organized by the Akademie Schloss Solitude in collaboration with the Künstlerhaus Stuttgart and the Zukunftskolleg at the University of Konstanz. With support from the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR).