Last Night: Impressions and Traces

Friday 6 PM: we entered the hypnotic ambience of Project Issue Room (pictured) for their exhibition opening of Sensorium. The unique circular space feels like you’re inside a chicly redesigned missile silo. The electronic exhibition of various artists was at best eye-candy with wires—but nothing you’d want to take home and plug in. Artist Laure Drogoul performed her Portable Scentorium. One at a time, an audience member volunteered to be blindfolded and sit with her. As she passed various fragrant chemicals and herbal mixtures below their nose she asked the subject questions about their olfactory experience. Unfortunately the questions were too vague to elicit any interesting comments. It's an excellent conceit, but the performance needs more development to become a compelling live event. We left feeling strangely meditated and unusually hungry, so we hit Long Tan on 5th to inhale some Thai fragrance. Their pad Thai is always a pleasure and their ginger kamikaze is my drug of choice. And they’re happy to continue to enable my addiction. David the tall blondy bartending is pretty to begin with, but after four kamikazes you’ll be slipping him your number as you slip off your stool.