Instar (3.9 kWh)
2024
Instar harnesses the energy generated from incinerating cocaine and crystal meth that was confiscated by customs during attempted smuggling in the ports of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, in the spring of 2024. Transferred into a lithium battery, the harvested energy powersa nebulizer which, as the battery discharges, emits a scented essence based in ozone. The adrenaline-inducing smell can naturally be found in the air just before lightning strikes; it also resembles the scent of old electrical equipment on the verge of burn-down.
*see also
Instar (3.9 kWh), 2023
Instar (6.9 kWh), 2023 Instar (7.1 kWh), 2021
2024
Instar harnesses the energy generated from incinerating cocaine and crystal meth that was confiscated by customs during attempted smuggling in the ports of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, in the spring of 2024. Transferred into a lithium battery, the harvested energy powersa nebulizer which, as the battery discharges, emits a scented essence based in ozone. The adrenaline-inducing smell can naturally be found in the air just before lightning strikes; it also resembles the scent of old electrical equipment on the verge of burn-down.
*see also
Instar (3.9 kWh), 2023
Instar (6.9 kWh), 2023 Instar (7.1 kWh), 2021
Electricity generated from burning confiscated cocaine and crystal meth, lithium batteries, transformer, battery management system, timer, electric nebulizer, altered borosilicate glass reservoir, and dissolved floral ozone.
Many thanks to: Jeanine Verloop (glass work), Frank Bloem (scent developer), Peter-Jan Schouten (EV Europe), HARC authorities, including Dutch customs team Douane Belastingdienst, Stefanie Hessler (curator and director at SI), Alison Coplan (chief Curator at SI) KJ Abudu (assistant curator at SI) and Clara Prat-Gay (curatorial assistant at SI) and all the team at Swiss Institute.
This project was made possible with the generous support of Mondriaan Fund.
exhibition views at Swiss Institute, NYC
photo 1: Daniel Pérez
photo 2: Vibeke Mascini
photo 3: customs official
︎︎︎download the complete exhibition guide of Swiss Institute
Many thanks to: Jeanine Verloop (glass work), Frank Bloem (scent developer), Peter-Jan Schouten (EV Europe), HARC authorities, including Dutch customs team Douane Belastingdienst, Stefanie Hessler (curator and director at SI), Alison Coplan (chief Curator at SI) KJ Abudu (assistant curator at SI) and Clara Prat-Gay (curatorial assistant at SI) and all the team at Swiss Institute.
This project was made possible with the generous support of Mondriaan Fund.
exhibition views at Swiss Institute, NYC
photo 1: Daniel Pérez
photo 2: Vibeke Mascini
photo 3: customs official
︎︎︎download the complete exhibition guide of Swiss Institute
