Seeing Red; The Visual Art of Love, Anger and Passion

A bold and evocative hue; the colour red holds deep emotive and cultural significance for many communities, symbolising luck, joy, passion, danger, love, and more. In the flash of a moment red can alter ur emotions. Throughout history, red has played a significant role in spiritual rituals, adorned cave walls, and held deep-rooted cultural and emotional importance. Associated with warmth and richness, red is also linked to power, as seen in its use by politicians and royalty. SEEING RED a new exhibition on display at Philips in London encourages personal reflection on how we ‘see red’ and the symbolic meaning of the colour red.

This new exhibition, SEEING RED,  is curated by Fru Thulstrop and Jane Neal, and comprises over 40 artists and creators including Marina Abramović, Miles Aldridge, Kate MccGwire, Stephen Webster, Jonathan Yeo, Daniel Lismore, Guggi, Susan Webster and Lionheart to name but a few.

This exhibition embodies autonomy, individuality, and unconventional exploration. It brings together established and emerging visionaries, inviting a fresh perspective on the colour’s artistic representation today, transcending market trends and delving into the profound emotions shaping our humanity .

Azzi Glasser has launched Red Rainstorm. The Pyramid is a giant Fragrance Pyramid for this Phillips Gallery show. A metal, glass, triangle with glass bottles containing perfume oil concentrate and diffused notes and accords of scent solution consisting of perfume oil concentrates.

Executed in 2024, this work is accompanied by a film created in collaboration with Gregory Dreams (running time: 4:59) and a soundtrack created in collaboration with James Lavelle and Matthew Puffett.

 “I have created the scent of a ‘Red Rainstorm’ this time, which is inspired by the Red Lightening Sprites.  A film where you will experience the immersive feeling of passion, eccentricity and love, alongside the danger and power of being inside a Rainstorm. Red lightning, also known as a “sprite,” is an intriguing weather phenomenon associated with certain very intense thunderstorms. While an ordinary lightning flash extends downward from the clouds to the ground, a sprite shoots into the upper reaches of the atmosphere. 

A literal scent that expresses the essence of a Rainstorm: the aroma of cold rain hitting warm pavements. An electrifying accord with notes of wet earth, mud, a concrete pavement, wet grass, water, roadside, tar and dust has been captured and recreated. 

Each part of the formulation process, where you will physically see the notes, the ingredients, the accords, which have been encased in the giant Fragrance Pyramid also designed by me.

The sound, which has been created in collaboration with James Lavelle, will set you in the middle of it all, where you will soon be transported into a time scented bubble.

Azzi Glasser

Azzi is an award-winning perfume designer who specializes in creating groundbreaking fragrances for the world’s top fashion designers, luxury hotels & clubs, Royalty, Hollywood actors, musicians and artists. Azzi’s level of creativity brings a bespoke and unique quality to all her creations and she holds an iconic client portfolio like no other in the world.

View the piece here at Philips.com website