Project

Molecules of Memory

Country

Belgium

Molecules of Memory explores our genetic heritage and the evolutionary attunement of the human body to one of nature’s most evocative scents: geosmin, the earthy compound behind the smell of rain, also known as petrichor. When geosmin enters the nose, its signal travels to the olfactory bulb and onward to the piriform cortex and amygdala—regions of the brain tied to memory and emotion. This direct passage to the limbic system explains why the scent of rain so often stirs vivid recollections and deep feelings.

The scent is produced by a genetically modified yeast cell, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, one of the first model organisms in genetic research with a fully mapped genome. By altering its metabolic pathways to produce geosmin, the yeast becomes part of a wider web of organisms connected through their production or perception of this molecule. The structured aluminium branches hold a fragile glass vessel through which visitors can smell the scent of geosmin. The circle shows the yeast, grown in the shape of old maps of the Belgian village of Watou and opening a porous portal into its layered history, evoking the biodiverse landscapes once shaped by water, soil, brewery and symbiotic life. Old pictures of these maps were transformed into stencils and sprayed with yeast, allowing the organism to grow across the canvas reshaping the landscape as it spreads and evolves. The installation continuous to grow and adapt over time.

Matthijs De Block’s work raises critical questions about the role of genetic modification in reshaping biological functions and ecological interactions, while also awakening sensory memories of forgotten ecosystems—swamps, forests, and rain-soaked soils. Our heightened sensitivity to geosmin links us to a broader web of life; insects, bees, and even camels carry dedicated receptors for this scent, pointing to a shared evolutionary legacy. The installation invites visitors to consider how inherited sensory capacities bind us to our environment, forming an interspecies kinship inscribed in our very genomes.

Molecules of Memory was created in collaboration with Open Biolab Brussels at Erasmushogeschool Brussels together with Dr. Tom Peeters, Dr Jolien De Munck, Dr Stijn De Graeve. Collab w/ Research Centre for Preventive Health Innovation (EHB, Belgium). Dr. Peeters, Dr De Munck, Dr De Graeve.