What are cultural artifacts?

The statue of David is a cultural artifact because it kept its intended and original meaning across time.

Michelangelo’s work is a record of belief, courage and humanity. What an incredibly powerful snapshot in time of what people idealised, what they feared and what they wanted to preserve.

Cultural artifacts are objects that outlive their makers and transport stories to future cultures.

This is how I think about perfume. At its best, scent should not be a trend. It must be a vessel for our memories that people keep returning to again and again long after we are gone. Each generation finds something of itself inside them.

This idea matters because we often confuse just any products with artifacts. Most products are made to be replaced, improved or updated. We live in a time of disposable objects and fast-paced trends. Whereas artifacts are meant to be passed down and re-interpreted.

This is the framework I use when thinking about perfume. At its most basic level, perfume is functional. It has notes, performance, longevity etc. But at its best, perfume operates on a different level when it’s tied to emotion. I want it to bypass the nose and attach itself to your memories. Then it becomes something that marks time. I believe our stories deserve to be preserved through sensory experiences like scent, touch, skin, material etc..

That is when it moves into the territory of a cultural artifact.

What objects do you think of as cultural artifacts?

Love, Azama