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Vikram Goyal and Sissel Tolaas Debut ‘The Soul Garden’ at Design Miami/Paris

The installation reimagines Panchatantra fables through repoussé metal creatures paired with a synthesized smellscape that invites slow, close‑range perception.

Overview

  • On view October 21–26 at L’Hôtel de Maisons in Paris, the work is presented by The Future Perfect as part of Design Miami/Paris 2025.
  • Goyal’s brass and copper tiger, elephant with calf, tortoise, and crocodile contain hidden miniature reliefs that depict Panchatantra stories.
  • Tolaas developed the olfactory layer from molecules collected in Goyal’s New Delhi studio and from animal habitats, then synthesized species-specific scents.
  • Nano and analog diffusers embedded in sculptures, grasses, and seating release layered aromas at sit level, with the tiger’s note described as popcorn-like due to urine chemistry.
  • Students from Paris’s Cours Florent give daily 5 pm readings from the Panchatantra during the installation’s run.