Lectures on Tap - "The History of Perfume"
About this Event
📍 Location: Exact address given in confirmation email
🧠 Lecture: "The History of Perfume"
🎤 Speaker: Kay Sykes
Join us for an evening that traces the captivating story of perfume—from ancient rituals and spiritual practices to luxury brands and contemporary art. In this lecture, art historian Kay Sykes will explore how perfumery has shaped cultures, identities, and the ways we relate to one another across time.
You’ll learn how scent-making traditions developed in different regions of the world, how perfumes have been used to communicate status, desire, and power, and why certain smells carry such deep emotional and social meaning. Kay will also introduce the concept of “olfactory politics,” examining how scent practices influence our shared spaces, our bodies, and even our understanding of art.
Kay Sykes is a graduate student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, pursuing a master’s in art history. Their current dissertation focuses on olfactory politics and the ways that scent practices inform culture and shape our interactions with artworks.
Come ready to follow your nose through history. Get a drink, connect, and learn at Lectures on Tap! 🙌
Agenda
6:30 PM – Doors open: find a seat (open seating!), order food & drinks, and expect a bar line—arriving early is key.
6:55 PM – Host introduction
7:00 PM – Lecture begins
7:45 PM – Audience Q&A
8:00 PM – Have 1:1 time with the speaker, mingle with fellow guests, and order another round
8:30 PM – Wrap up.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 38.58
