In January 2020, anosmia, the loss of smell, was identified as a symptom of COVID-19. In this article, Gaudêncio Fidelis discusses the implications of the lost of smell (frequently accompanied by the loss of taste) and its parallels with the “blind spots” in art history and curating. The articles connects the subject with his previous research in curating, largely elaborated on his book, “Smell as a Criterion: Toward a Politics of Olfactory Curating” (2015).
“The Forgotten Nerve,” is the first in a series of three articles about senses and the pandemic.
