By chipping away at barriers, the institute is helping reshape the practice of perfumery, often characterized by elitism and a Eurocentric perspective. To encourage outsider scent culture, Ms. Wilson-Brown’s definition of perfume is intentionally loose, as in not constricted to what one buys in a bottle. It’s “a conscious combination of aromatics for a predetermined result,” she said. “A chef could be in some way a perfumer if she combines materials for their aroma, or a florist. The advantage of this definition is that it’s inclusive.”

— Saskia Wilson-Brown's Institute for Art and Olfaction will celebrate their 10th anniversary this year. Read more in Can Scent Be Democratized? The Institute for Art and Olfaction celebrates a decade of exploring our sense of smell at The New York Times.