Welcome to JORUM JOURNAL ISSUE III.
JORUM JOURNAL is a monthly glimpse behind the scenes at Jorum Studio. Find out what’s inspiring us, what’s motivating us, what we’re celebrating – the thoughts and stories behind our fragrances.
MARCH at Jorum Studio brought a lot of excitement, and – rather unexpectedly – a trip to London’s Collect Art Fair. Artistic practice and craftsmanship have been woven into the fabric of what we do from the get-go, so any opportunity to connect with new people and see new sights is relished. Our laboratory remains bustling with activity. Some things never change…
COLLECT ART FAIR: OUR HIGHLIGHTS
Stepping into London's Collect Art Fair – coming as we were from Stockbridge, one of Edinburgh's more relaxed neighbourhoods – was an assault on the senses, albeit an enthralling one.
Awash with sun-reflective grandeur, Somerset House served as the perfect backdrop for the hundreds of artworks and design objects on show. The sheer volume of works was matched only by the sense of enthusiasm in the air: for us, and we suspect for many others, Collect was the first in-person exhibition attended in over two years.
Images: Kaja Upelj, Edmond Byrne and Toni Losey Collect Art Fair 2022
We were taken by the playfulness of the glassware. Edmond Byrne, showing with gallery Cavaliero Finn, was a favourite – delectable candy-coloured glass sculptures and vessels with a kaolin patina. Steffen Dam's Cabinet of Curiosities (Joanna Bird Contemporary Collections) was as transportive as it was impressive: delicate hand-blown glass creatures housed in backlit, laboratory-style vessels.
Cecilia Charlton, Steffen Dam and Frances Priest Collect Art Fair 2022
When it came to ceramics, the clean lines of Walter Keeler's multi-limbed teapots (Ruthin Craft Centre) were memorable, as were Ikuko Iwamoto's fine-toothed and gold-tipped wonders – another Cavaliero Finn artist. Toni Losey of Pik'd presented bulbous ceramic sculptures that looked like they could scuttle away at any moment.
It was a treat to see long-time favourite Frances Priest (rumoured to be a fan of Phloem...) showcasing a joyous collection of little ceramic sculptures. Cecilia Charlton's hand-embroidered and painted wool pieces (Candida Stevens Gallery) were some of the most exciting on show. Psychedelic and ethereal.
If you were also lucky enough to attend Collect this year, we're sure you'll agree: the opportunity to view such a diverse and yet thoughtfully curated selection of work is a rare treat. We can't wait to return again next year.
READING LIST
Books we’ve been burying our nose in this month…
'The Gardens of Eden' – Abbye Churchill
A glorious book that makes us even more eager to get planting this spring. Expect many more flowers in our Stockbridge shopfront this summer!
'The Sound of Waves' – Yukio Mishima
Mishima is the favourite author of our co-founder and resident perfumer.
'What Artists Wear' – Charlie Porter
A fascinating look at artistic practice, and how the clothes we choose to wear can reflect how we see (and respond to) the world around us.
MATERIAL FOCUS: CARDAMOM OIL (Elettaria Cardamomum)
Cardamom oil is a real go-to material here at Jorum. In the lab we have a whole section dedicated to cardamom oils produced via various extraction processes and from numerous suppliers. The oil is extracted from the seeds of the spice and the best quality oil originates from Guatemala.
The odour is kaleidoscopic, with cool initial notes: eucalyptus-like and aromatic with a sudden surge of warmth and sweetness. As the oil evaporates it reveals greater aromatic depth, taking us on a journey from balsamic, resinous and woody profiles to an increasing sweetness and lasting floral facet.
This versatility makes Cardamom oil a workhorse in our laboratory, with almost limitless applications; augmenting citrus notes, adding uniqueness to floral profiles, strengthening woods and modifying more exotic (and ambitious) formulations.
It's a comparatively expensive material, and tricky to use successfully. It's all about balance and using other materials to help shape the profile as needed to achieve the target sensation.
Cardamom oil is a key feature note in Fantosmia, a modifier in Medullary-ray, is used more functionally in Athenaeum and (perhaps surprisingly) we use it in Trimerous to manipulate the kombucha-esque element. It also features in countless Jorum Laboratories client formulas.
Cardamom holds many secrets, but we will always maintain that it’s worth the time exploring it and studying... obsessively.
