Olfactory Art Live Panel: Creative Pathways for Scent

Meet the Moderator & Panelists:

Andreas Keller, Ph.D. & Owner of Olfactory Art Keller

Andreas Keller is a New York-based academic with PhDs in neuroscience and philosophy who is interested in olfactory perception. He has over a decade of experience in olfactory psychophysics and the clinical aspects of olfaction. The results of his experiments have shed light on human olfactory capacities, on the relation between the structure and smell of odor molecules, and on the perceptual consequences of variability in odorant receptor genes. He is the author of The Philosophy of Olfactory Perception, in which he explores the philosophically interesting differences between seeing and smelling, and the owner of Olfactory Art Keller, an art gallery in New York’s Chinatown that is dedicated to the exploration of scent as a creative medium.

Amy Anthony, Aromatherapist & Olfactory Artist

Amy Anthony is a New York-based certified aromatherapist, certified aromatherapy educator, herbalist, aromatic gardener, certified master composter, artisanal distiller and olfactory artist. Host of the Essential Aromatica podcast, Amy explores ideas for connecting with nature through aromatherapy in an accessible way for all. Amy’s contributions extend to teaching levels 1 and 2 aromatherapy certifications at esteemed institutions like the former New York Institute of Aromatherapy and former New York Institute of Aromatic Studies, consulting for institutions such as IFF and Mt. Sinai Hospital, and facilitating workshops at the New York Botanical Gardens, among several other institutions. A member of Alliance of International Aromatherapists and the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy, Amy focuses on aromatherapy education and business-to-business workshops and consulting. A core tenet of NYC Aromatica's philosophy is respecting all of nature, intentionally working with aromatic plants and honoring their ability to support an individual's mind-body-spirit connection. 

M Dougherty, Artist & Researcher

M Dougherty is a nonbinary, multidisciplinary artist and researcher whose work bridges art and science, using scent to explore the intersections of technology, humanity and the natural world. M’s practice is rooted in scientific inquiry, yet remains deeply personal, engaging the senses through introspective olfactory experiences. Their installation /ForestBath, created during the pandemic, brought the scent of the forest to New York City, providing the health benefits of nature to those cut off from outdoor spaces. This project exemplifies M’s commitment to highlighting scent’s transformative role in human well-being. An advocate for olfactory literacy, M works to enhance our ability to perceive and communicate scent. Their contributions to scent science includes work on SmellRS, a device for evaluating olfaction, and tools to preserve memory, inspired by their connection to Alzheimer's research. M is a sought-after speaker, having held a residency at Boston University, and their work has been exhibited globally, including at Olfactory Art Keller and François Ghebaly Gallery. They have received accolades, such as the Innovation Award from NYC Media Lab and Chanel and served on the Board of Directors for OSMOCOSM, advancing the intersection of scent technology and art. Through the fusion of science and creativity, M Dougherty continues to push the boundaries of scent’s communicative potential.

Adnan Aga, Advertising Creative & Experiential Design Artist

Adnan Aga is a Dubai-born creative working in the advertising industry. Adnan's work in the field of creative technology and experiential design began at Deeplocal, and led to a variety of dynamic and unique projects for clients, such as Google, Netflix, Nike and more. From building giant gumball machines to musical soap dispensers to password protected cookie jars, his professional and artistic practices focus on designing and developing interactive experiences that explore the whimsical and downright comical areas of our lives. Most recently, Adnan has developed an interactive sculpture titled “Adnose” in the shape of a wall-mounted nose that uses Computer Vision and AI to predict the smell of any object presented to it, in the hope that his project will draw attention to the often-neglected sense of smell and to the challenges faced by the anosmic community.