In late April 2017, I moved to Tokyo.
After a few months, every local I met asked me, with a sense of pride: "Do you also have four seasons in your country?" as though it was a treasure unique to Japan. Naturally, we do.
Nearly a year after, at the end of march 2018, I encountered "Hanami," a captivating event marking the beginning of spring, celebrated with the enchanting bloom of the famous "Sakuras" (cherry trees). Japan is renowned for this breathtaking spectacle. Every year, tourists fly to Japan hoping to join the Japanese who gather in parks to welcome the new season; rejoicing in the ephemeral beauty of the blossoms.
This magical display lasts a mere two weeks at most… And I’ve been lucky enough to experience it in four distinct years. Once, to my amazement, it unfolded beneath a delicate blanket of snow in 2020— a phenomenon last witnessed 32 years prior.
Today, I’m back in France, re-discovering “our” spring for the second year; and I understand the sentiment of the Japanese people: their four seasons are indeed strikingly distinct.
That said… My memories as a child are similar; but with a different backdrop. France's spring bursts forth with Wisteria, Tulips, and a vibrant tapestry of flowers and vegetation.
Winter in Paris paints the city in moody grays. But as spring arrives, it revives. The sun tenderly caresses your face, the wind lovingly envelops you, and your spirits soar.
In a world where seasons seem to fade away quickly, let's cherish the emotions they bring. This collection is an ode to spring and the essence of those feelings and scents that marks its arrival.
As climate change alters the spring I experience today compared to my childhood, I wish new generations will be able to enjoy “four seasons” and create their own precious memories.
“Scents of Spring” is part of “(Probably) All in the Mind”, an exhibition curated by Verse.
The exhibition happened from the 5 of April 2023 to the 9 of April 2023 in London.
