Caetano Mendes Dias is an interdisciplinary research-based designer, investigating the communication of the Osmocosm and ecological challenges in the discipline of design today. Caetano Mendes Dias We have been graced with five senses, but if we do not cultivate them, we might lose them one day. With the digital space, we have been disconnecting more and more from our physical reality. Obliviating the senses of smell and taste, the only senses that have a direct physical link to our brain. They are as relevant or even more relevant than our other senses, for we need them to have the full image of what we call reality. These senses evoke strong emotions in us, they were and are our initial self-defence mechanisms, the building blocks for our decisions. Today, there is a need to contemplate things - a need for lingering thoughts, critical thinking and imagination! For, many times, problems arise from hasty decisions that should have been thought out. Especially when actions are about to happen, we need to slow down, take a deep breath and smell! As an interdisciplinary designer, I use different media to reflect upon our current social challenges. I believe that multisensory experiences can awaken strong emotions in us, creating empathy and leading to moments of reflection. I have been exploring the sense of smell as a source of knowledge and a catalyst for change, to achieve a society that is more aware of their senses and interconnected with others, humans or non-humans. For a bespoke perfume creation tailored to your unique story, send me an email . EXHIBITIONS 2025 - ROOTS EXHIBITION . (Collective), Palazzo Giureconsulti, Milano, IT 2024 - GRADUATION SHOW . (Collective), Microstad, Eindhoven, NL. 2024 - HUMANS IN SPACES . (Collective), The Space Coolhaven, Rotterdam, NL. 2024 - DIGITAL FOCUS. (Collective), Witte Dame, Design Academy Eindhoven, NL. 2023 - THE SYMBIOCENE FOREST. (Collective), Bio Art Laboratories & DDW, Eindhoven. 2023 - ODOURS OF THE CLIFF . (Permanent) Centro de Interpretação da Reserva Mundial de Surf, Ericeira, PT. 2023 - PORTUGUESE SURF FILM FESTIVAL . (Collective) Galeria Orlando Morais, Ericeira, PT. 2023 - 2.ª BIENAL DE JOVENS CRIADORES DE MAFRA . (Collective) Galeria Orlando Morais, Ericeira, PT. 2023 - JAPANESE KNOTWEED FESTIVAL. (Collective), Mediamatic, Amsterdam, NL. 2023 - SILVA SYSTEM PRESENTS 01. (Collective) De Fabriek, Eindhoven, NL. 2021 - AWESOME, THANKS! (Collective) Design studio, Eindhoven, NL. 2020 - CONFINED.WORK. (Collective) Online. 2020 - FONTE DO CABO. Fonte do cabo, Ericeira, PT. PRESS KIT

An installation that invites you to smell the essential oils of Douglas Firs collected in the Wandelpark, Eindhoven in November 2022. Douglas Fir 2022 An installation that invites you to smell the essential oils of Douglas Firs collected in the Wandelpark, Eindhoven in November 2022. Douglas Firs were originally from the east coast of North America and in 1880 were brought to the Netherlands because of its economic value. However, along with Douglas Fir, other species attracted by its smell came to the Netherlands, thus changing its biodiversity Nowadays, only a small amount of trees found in the Netherlands originate from there, so this brings me to the question: How are we, humans changing the forest’s biodiversity by introducing different scents to them? What do we mean when we use the word “natural”?

The beach is the bridge between the land and the sea, between life and death, the known and the unknown. Map of Praia do Sul 2021 The beach is the bridge between the land and the sea, between life and death, the known and the unknown. This map depicts the visible and invisible matters of the cost and reveals the odd amorphic qualities of the beach in relation to its inhabitants.

DEEP BREATH is a scent which transports us to the deep sea and reminds us that, whether we are humans or extremophiles, having a nose or a chemoreceptor, we are interconnected with all forms of life on this planet. Deep Breath 2024 Deep Breath is a spatial scent that transports us back to the deep sea. The first forms of life on the planet are believed to have lived in the deepest depths of the ocean. These micro-organisms, our earliest ancestors, can be found inside the rocks of hydrothermal vents. Chemoreceptors, or primordial sensors, enable them to survive in this harsh environment filled with sulfur compounds and other substances toxic to most organisms. As they moved into new environments, their receptors evolved into complex systems, allowing them to breathe oxygen and smell their environment, like we do. Deep Breath reminds us of the importance of our olfactory receptors and of just how interconnected we are with all life forms on this planet. Read more about Deep Breath here. Purchase - Deep Breath Eau de Parfum here PRESS KIT

In between life and death, Looking At Nature On Different Scales, Finding Similarities Between Things Invisible Lives In Between Life and Death 2022 Looking At Nature On Different Scales Finding Similarities Between Things What do human artefacts look like under the microscope? What happens to yeast when food starts fermenting? How is the life of our body periphery? What kind and how many insects do we kill in our houses? And what are the relations between all these questions? Insect Spit Hair Ear wax Nail Death skin Nose mucus Sperm Loquat wine Elderflower syrup Fermentad grapes Mold Paper bag Transparent plastic bag Sandwich packaging with an insect White plastic bag Blue plastic bag Insect Spit Hair Ear wax Nail Death skin Nose mucus Sperm Loquat wine Elderflower syrup Fermentad grapes Mold Paper bag Transparent plastic bag Sandwich packaging with an insect White plastic bag Blue plastic bag Everything relates to each other at some point and at a certain level. A plastic bag is one plastic bag but is also a combination of bacteria, air, void, paint, and many other things that we don’t consider. Are all this group of stuff that forms the plastic bag constituents of it, or are they the plastic bag itself? In Ontological reductionism, everything is composed of simples. Simples are the tiniest things that can’t be decomposed and subdivided. A plastic bag is just a combination of simples arranged in a certain way, just like an insect is a combination of simples arranged in a certain way. Can we define a clear line between a plastic bag and an insect? Does the plastic bag even exist? If we agree that it is just a combination of simples, what happens if we remove some simples from it? We didn’t eliminate the plastic bag, and it still has the same properties, but can we still consider it a plastic bag? Probably everything composes something bigger and something smaller at some point. Can we say that we are an individual? We are composed of different organisms that form bigger organisms. We are made of air but is the air that we breathe part of us, or are we part of air? The air that gives life will transform at some point and kill us. There is no individuality nor collectivism, just a combination of different stuff, trogs. Our reality is based on Trogs that we created, but what if we had organized things differently and seen different connections between things? For example, is there something else between a nail and a piece of hair besides themselves? Just because we don’t have a name for that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Our definitions of things are just one way to cut up the plastic reality, they represent made-up symbols within a specific context, but they don’t exist beyond us. They are just concepts. Any assortment of things will compose a thing no matter if we acknowledge it or not. How our understanding of alive defines the idea of biological equity? "Nothing can be transformed into another nature without having been previously converted into ash, lime or earth." Nodo Sophico Enodato

DEEP BREATH is a scent which transports us to the deep sea and reminds us that, whether we are humans or extremophiles, having a nose or a chemoreceptor, we are interconnected with all forms of life on this planet. Deep breath research Chemosynthetic bacteria Hydrothermal vents Deep Breath scent Origins of olfaction Sources 1543 meters Jun 27, 2024 45° 56.0186', 130° 0.8182' By Ocean Observatories Initiative

DEEP BREATH is a scent which transports us to the deep sea and reminds us that, whether we are humans or extremophiles, having a nose or a chemoreceptor, we are interconnected with all forms of life on this planet. Deep breath research Chemosynthetic bacteria Hydrothermal vents Deep Breath scent Origins of olfaction Sources Hydrothermal vents Extreme environment Pressure exceeding 250 Atmospheres. (250 times more than normal atmospheric pressure). - Depth of 2500 to 3500 m. (Bathypelagic zone and Abyssal zone). - Extremely temperature from 100°C to 400°C (High thermal shock with the 2°C seawater temperature). - High levels of toxic elements in most of the creatures on this planet (hydrogen sulfide, methane, and metal sulfides.) - Low level of light level. - Low level of oxygen. A hydrothermal vent is a fissure on the seafloor, typically found near volcanically active areas such as mid-ocean ridges, from which chimneys release geothermally heated water. These vent chimneys emit buoyant hydrothermal plumes of mineral-rich fluid. These plumes form when seawater seeps into the Earth's crust, superheats from underlying magma, and then emerges, carrying dissolved metals and minerals like sulfur and iron. As the plumes rise and cool, they disperse nutrients and chemicals, profoundly influencing unique deep-sea ecosystems and biogeochemical cycles, which is a pathway through which elements circulate between living organisms, geological processes, and the environment. The formation of a vent chimney begins with mineral precipitation from expelled substances, solidifying upon contact with seawater to form sulfide ore rocks. These deposits result from decreasing seawater temperature, pressure loss, and oxidation. Over time, they develop into massive sulfide ore deposits, sometimes spanning hundreds of square kilometres and extending over one kilometre in depth. Hydrothermal plumes significantly impact marine biogeochemistry by releasing sulfur compounds such as hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) into the ocean. Sulfur compounds are integral to marine biogeochemical cycles and deep-sea ecosystems. These sulfides are hypothesized to contribute to prebiotic chemistry and the origin of life. They support the growth of chemosynthetic bacteria, by serving as electron donors or acceptors in microbial metabolism. Marine phytoplankton and bacteria incorporate sulfur into their biomass. Life under hydrothermal vents exhibits immense biomass and productivity, supported by unique symbiotic relationships. Unlike surface and terrestrial hydrothermal systems, deep-sea vents rely on symbiosis between macroinvertebrate hosts and chemoautotrophic microbial symbionts.

This installation shows the odours of the plants that characterize the olfactory panorama of the Ericeira’s cliffs. Some of these plants played a significant role in the history of the Portuguese, and are part of Portugal’s identity. The Odours of the Cliffs 2023 This installation shows the odours of the plants that characterize the olfactory panorama of the Ericeira’s cliffs. Some of these plants played a significant role in the history of the Portuguese, and are part of Portugal’s identity. By paying attention to what these plants are saying to us, we are contributing to the preservation of cliff ecosystems and their rich biodiversity. Find a digital representation of the cliff here . Exhibit at Centro de Interpretação da Reserva Mundial de Surf Immortelle Helichrysum italicum Location: Praia da Empa, E riceira; Origin: Native; Scent: dry, warm, sweet with a soft touch of spices and a woody and earthy background; Properties: antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidants; Edible parts: leaves and flowers. Sea Fennel Crithmum maritimum Location: Praia da Empa, Ericeira; Origin: Native; Scent: citrus, salty, fresh with strong notes of lemon evoking the sea breeze; Properties: antioxidants, diuretics, carminative, depurative, antiscorbutic, digestive and rich in vitamins A, C and E; Edible parts: leaves. Juniper Juniperus turbinata Location: Praia da Empa, Ericeira; Origin: native; Properties: diuretic; Scent: woody, resinous, citrus and balsamic with notes of cedar; Edible parts: pine cones and globules.

When the Ennui sweeps through your life, the Melancholic Kit is here to assist in dealing with such melancholic moments. This kit has been thoughtfully curated and specifically tailored to accompany you in the summertime sadness. Melancholic Kit 2023 When the Ennui sweeps through your life, the Melancholic Kit is here to assist in dealing with such melancholic moments. This kit has been thoughtfully curated and specifically tailored to accompany you in the summertime sadness when a pervasive feeling of apathy sets in and motivation becomes elusive. You don't have to navigate melancholy by yourself – come alongside and acquire a Melancholic Kit. This kit serves as a companion for times of profound boredom during a melancholic emergency. It's an invitation to share your feelings and experiences rather than facing them alone. We encourage you to join us and obtain your own Melancholic Kit.

A role-playing game where you can interconnect with other beings by letting yourself be enchanted by the voices and scents of nature. MISFIT BREEZE Role Playing Game 2023 While man is taking control of the world and other living beings are forced to adapt and submit to man, a new bubble of fresh air emerges from the earth. Underneath the conventional smells, a primordial air is hidden, trapped for a long time by the perfumed layers of civilized beings. The premonitions dictated a long time ago will come true and we, the ordinary people, reclaim what they took from us a long time ago. In a collective and role-playing game, we discover our inner being and let ourselves be enchanted by the voices of nature. Improvising between impulsive gestures and olfactory screams, we express our inner essence.

Exploring the relevance of scents in human life and the nuances of olfactory perception. Deep breath research Chemosynthetic bacteria Hydrothermal vents Deep Breath scent Origins of olfaction Sources Be aware that this research is not scientific or universally true, but rather a compendium of ideas and views that can possibly estimate fantasies. Video courtesy of Ocean Observatories Initiative. (2024) Galibert F, Azzouzi N. Are the Olfactory Receptors Present at the Sperm Membrane Involved in Reproduction? Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Jul 10;24(14):11277. doi: 10.3390/ijms241411277. PMID: 37511035; PMCID: PMC10379156. McGee, H. (2020). Nose dive: a field guide to the world’s smells. New York, Penguin Press. Ghos, P. Ghosh (2017). Earliest evidence of life on Earth 'found'. Science correspondent, BBC News. Drake, N. (2017). This May Be the Oldest Known Sign of Life on Earth. science article, National Geographic. Pluznick J. (2016). You smell with your body, not just your nose Dodd MS, Papineau D, Grenne T, Slack JF, Rittner M, Pirajno F, O'Neil J, Little CT. Evidence for early life in Earth's oldest hydrothermal vent precipitates. Nature. 2017 Mar 1;543(7643):60-64. doi: 10.1038/nature21377. PMID: 28252057. Image courtesy of Submarine Ring of Fire 2006 Exploration, NOAA Vents Program Martin W, Russell MJ. On the origins of cells: a hypothesis for the evolutionary transitions from abiotic geochemistry to chemoautotrophic prokaryotes, and from prokaryotes to nucleated cells. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2003 Jan 29;358(1429):59-83; discussion 83-5. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2002.1183. PMID: 12594918; PMCID: PMC1693102. Huber REder W, Heldwein S, Wanner G, Huber H, Rachel R, Stetter KO.1998.Thermocrinis ruber gen. nov., sp. nov., a Pink-Filament-Forming Hyperthermophilic Bacterium Isolated from Yellowstone National Park. Appl Environ Microbiol64:.https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.64.10.3576-3583.1998

Exploring the relevance of scents in human life and the nuances of olfactory perception. Scented Life Sounds 2024 This sound piece, composed by the talented musician Margarida Alves Gato and I, is the translation of four fragrances . The composition considers the complexity and difficulty of describing odours through words and seeks different ways of communicating olfactory impressions, one way less imbued in cultural constraints and another that acknowledges our cultural biases. Olfactory experiences seem to have many crossmodal associations with hearing, for example, people often link bass sounds to base notes (resins), and tremble sounds to top notes (citrus), these enigmatic interplay between sounds and smells has intrigued researchers for quite some time and remains unexplained still. These crossmodal associations are shaped by a variety of factors, each providing different insights into different associations, but it's essential to note they are not merely metaphorical or arbitrary and go beyond subjective judgment. With this in mind, the sound piece was composed by using two translation methods: The first method attempts to develop a language independent of our cultural background and speculates upon the Vibrational Theory of Luca Turin. Considering Luca Turin's theory is correct and that we can perceive odorant molecules due to their molecular vibration, I took the molecular vibration of the raw materials that make up the four fragrances and converted them into audible sine waves. Hear below the sound waves of the raw materials used in the composition of the fragrances. The second method takes into consideration the enigmatic crossmodal association between sound and smell and embraces our biases and cultural belief systems as a means to acknowledge the complexity of describing odours. In collaboration with Margardia Alves Gato, we have translated our subjective and unique impressions of the four fragrances into sounds, taking different instruments, timbres, rhythms and melodies. I leave open the question of whether some of the associations that Margarida and I had could be universal to all cultures or whether they are restricted to our Western cultures, unfortunately, the major and predominant culture in odour description nowadays. The complex final sound piece is a combination of the two methods and pictures an overall impression of the odours. Leaving space for a more methodological and scientific alternative and a more subjective and emotional approach.