The Icelandic collective Fischersund, led by Sigur Rós frontman Jónsi and his family, has been creating multisensory art experiences since 2017 by blending perfume, music, and visual storytelling. Their scented concerts and installations, such as a foggy greenhouse at the Reykjavik Arts Festival, use bespoke fragrances inspired by Icelandic nature, accompanied by ambient soundscapes and poetry. The collective operates from Jónsi's former studio in Reykjavik, where they develop perfumes like No. 23 and No. 101 as artistic works rather than commercial products.
This matters because Fischersund represents a growing trend of olfactory art that challenges traditional boundaries between sensory mediums, elevating perfume from a commercial commodity to a legitimate art form. The collective's inclusion in the Reykjavik Arts Festival signals institutional recognition of scent-based art, while Jónsi's integration of fragrance into his visual art practice at galleries like Tanya Bonakdar Gallery demonstrates how smell is gaining traction in the contemporary art world. Their family-run model also highlights collaborative, non-hierarchical approaches to art-making.