Metabolic Futures II – The Politics of Smell

The events include talks on the social life of bees, smellscape walks, biodata sonifications, discussions on olfactory plasticity and wine tastings.

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

Humans, just like animals and plants, use odors to communicate and evaluate their environment. They have a profound impact on our lives by triggering emotions and enabling us to build relationships with each other. 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. In an increasingly heated world, the event explores how smell, politics and economics relate to each other. Together with artists, musicians, biologists, chemists and geographers, we will trace Stuttgart's olfactory trails 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, Kirsten Traynor, Tamarind Rossetti & Stephen Wright.

The event is the second edition of a series on metabolism organized by Akademie Schloss Solitude together with Künstlerhaus Stuttgart and Zukunftskolleg of the University of Konstanz. With the support of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR).

Where and when:
April 17, 2026: 6 pm Akademie Schloss Solitude
18. April 2026: 10 a.m. Hohenheim Gardens, 4 p.m. Künstlerhaus Stuttgart