Two Centuries of Stink!

Two Centuries of Stink: A new smell exhibition at Catalyst Science Discovery Centre and Museum

Catalyst is delighted to announce that the exhibition Two Centuries of Stink: Smelling Mapping Widnes Past and Present will remain open until 31st December 2021.

Intriguing aromas have long been a feature of life in Widnes. With the arrival of the chemical industry in the 19th century, the town changed beyond all recognition, gaining a reputation as having the deeply unpleasant “Widnes Odour”.

With funding from Arts Council England, Catalyst commissioned world-renowned olfactory artist and designer Kate McLean, who has spearheaded the practices of ‘smell-walking’ and ‘smell-scaping’, to work with our collection and local community to explore the smells, scents, and stinks of Widnes from the 19th century up to the present day turning two centuries of stink into visual and sensory form for the first time.

Beginning in Catalyst’s archives, we searched historic records for descriptions of smell. We then asked people in the community what smells they, or their families remembered, and invited them to plot these onto a map. Finally, in May 2021 we facilitated a series of ‘smell walks’ where local people collected ‘nose first’ data to describe the smell Widnes in the present.

This information has been translated into 8 Widnes smells to sniff, supported by documentation from Catalyst’s archives and smell walks, and an animated smell map showing how the various smells, scents, whiffs, and pongs of Widnes have changed over time.

Community Engagement Coordinator and exhibition curator Jade French says, “It’s been an incredible experience working on this project. We read historic newspaper headlines about the poisonous smog. We listened to stories about the bongs and the galligu, the eye-watering stench of industry, the vinegar scent of the Golden Wonder crisp factory, and of course, the infamous Granox. But we also encountered the soft, salty smell of the Mersey, the fresh perfume of Spike Island’s greenery, and homely aromas of cooked food escaping from canteens and houses. But, if you didn’t get to contribute to the project yet, there’s still time! We are collecting smell data in the exhibition too so come along to Catalyst and let us know what Widnes smells like to you – past or present.”

Artist Kate McLean says, “Smell mapping Widnes is a fascinating history project as layers of human smell perceptions over time evolve from the Ditton Alps of galligu to the riverbank sea-salt-mud aromas of a Bank Holiday weekend in 2021. In May this year 42 people smell walked the West Bank and contributed 402 new smell notes to add to the collection of Widnes’ smells. One of the findings we noted is how smells remain constant in Widnes, although their sources change through time. We dare you to visit Catalyst where you will be able to sniff and imagine the smell-scape of different periods of Widnes’ rich stinky history.”

The exhibition will be open at Catalyst until 31st December 2021.