Studio Merle Bergers
Bespoke fragrances
Merle is a conceptual designer who skillfully utilizes scent as a powerful medium for storytelling. Through the evocative language of fragrances, Merle weaves narratives that explore our origins and aspirations, inviting us to embark on a sensory journey.
While scent itself may appear intangible, its impact resonates profoundly within our bodies and minds. Our olfactory system translates these aromatic experiences, rendering them tangible and vivid through our personal and shared associations.
By infusing fragrances with intention and meaning, Merle imparts narratives that transport us to places both familiar and fantastical. These olfactory tales unveil the hidden nuances of our collective human experience, offering a multi-sensory exploration of where we have come from and where we aspire to go.
Lingua Planta
For centuries, humans have held themselves superior to other species, but recent research has shed light on the intricate communication that occurs among plants. It turns out that plants engage in complex exchanges of information with one another, as well as with insects, animals, and even humans.
This communication occurs through the language of scent, known as Lingua Planta. Lingua Planta provides plant enthusiasts with a fresh perspective on greenery by exploring the world of natural perfumes. Through meticulous attention, a journey has been undertaken to discover the finest aromatics, resulting in a high-quality product that is kind to Earth.
For more information, visit www.linguaplanta.com.
What's in a tear
What if a spectrum of emotions could be captured?
I discovered how to extract the minerals from tears and transform these into pearl-like objects, called tear stones. This physical manifestation of the transmutation of matter is then set in an organic piece of jewelry. In this way, you can capture tears at a special moment and keep them with you as a timeless reminder of a story once lived. The project was based on the way we deal with tears in public. The concept behind this project was born from a contemplation of how society perceives tears in public settings. It is intriguing to observe how we sometimes feel discomfort or shame when confronted with displays of vulnerability, overlooking the fact that these emotions are an inherent part of our human experience.
I believe in showing these emotions we can find a way to connect and empathize with each other.
Microbiota TO GO
Microbiota To Go highlights the possibilities of altering our health by aiding the millions of microorganisms that live in the gut. The project speaks of a wider need to personalize our diets and tailor our food consumption.
After sequencing the DNA of your finger, your Microbiota will be mapped. Based on this data, a probiotic concoction is being produced and micro-encapsulated. A mood booster can be added and together with the probiotics will be misted to be inhaled, but also via the skin it can be absorbed, where it will happily mingle and benefit your healthy micro-organisms.
Special thanks to Chloe Rutzerveld and Judith Ofner
Design by Sjoerd Koopmans / Rich Dust
Animation: Jan-Roelof de Vries
Technique: Sjoerd Legue and Hans Jansen
Scientific backbone: Koen Venema, gut flora specialist and professor at Wageningen University.
Lingua Planta at G18, Dutch Design Week
This installation invites visitors to engage in the fascinating realm of plant communication. A sculpture made of porcelain and glass sits atop a stem-like structure, emitting a scented fog. This fog communicates with visitors in a way that mimics the way plants convey messages. It holds something important to share, whether it’s an invitation to approach, a warning to be cautious or a soothing, calming scent.
To provide a glimpse into the scale and form of plant communication, the installation film features microscopic video images of plant sensory glands. These images offer a visual representation of how plants convey messages. By paying close attention to this immersive installation, visitors can gain a new appreciation for the subtle ways in which plants communicate and experience the intriguing sensation of discovering what a plant is trying to convey, perhaps for the first time.
Null Island
Scent design in collaboration with artist Deborah Mora. Welcome to Null Island, a digital Garden of Eden where you can immerse yourself in a technologically mediated memory of nature. The title of the work refers to the coordinates where this island is imagined to exist: it is the cyber myth of an imaginary island, now becoming flesh. In the digital realm, the null value is automatically attributed when data are absent. Images, files, and registrations uploaded without a specified geolocation are therefore always associated with the location ‘0,0’. That is the spot where we can find Null Island, a safe haven where our threatened natural world can thrive forever.
Sound Design by Igor Dubreucq
Scent Design by Studio Merle Bergers
Archive
Previous work done in and outside Design Academy Eindhoven 2013-2018