With a captivating artistic approach, Neandertal disrupts conventional perspectives and delves into profound existential inquiries about our origins and destiny. By stepping outside the confines of human consciousness, Kentaro Yamada’s creations offer a unique olfactory journey that challenges the egocentric narrative of our place in the universe. In this interview, Kentaro Yamada, an artist and the visionary founder of Neandertal perfumes, shares his profound insights and artistic perspective.
What inspired you to create Neandertal perfumes, an artistic response challenging humanity’s egocentric view of the universe?
As an artist, I explore ideas that humanity has questioned since we were first gifted with conscious minds: What does this life mean and why are we here? How do we make sense of it all? I started research into the Neanderthal legacy around 10 years ago; it was fascinating to discover they were very similar to us in almost all aspects of their lives and that they lived in Europe 5 times longer than Homo Sapiens, before mysteriously disappearing from earth after the arrival of Homo Sapiens in the region.
How does Neandertal explore existential questions about our origins and future in the space era through the medium of perfumes?
I think Covid really made us all aware how fragile humanity is, and people are becoming more aware of the impact we have on the planet as well. The question this project asks is very current and universal. I think exploring such ideas through the highly aestheticised experience of scent and distributing it through the consumer world, hopefully brings these challenging questions closer to our everyday life.
Can you describe the creative process behind crafting a fragrance that represents the human experience from an outsider’s perspective?
It was clear from the outset, our scent had to be contemporary and modern. People sometimes have an idea that Neandertal perfume might smell like sweaty brutes but we wanted to present the possibility of looking at our future selves as much as looking at our past. It’s about this mysterious distant cousin and the shadows of their past acting as a mirror for ourselves.
The perfumer Euan McCall and I worked on these ideas over the course of a couple of years initially to create Neandertal Dark and Light. He responded to the questions brilliantly and we felt like we produced a pair of fragrances that reflected both our past and our future!
What unique olfactory elements or notes do you incorporate to evoke emotions and reflections about our place in the universe?
Without giving away too much, we often experiment with unusual scent profiles across our fragrances, some of which are usually found near the sea and lakes. They are not pleasant on their own but as part of the greater whole we felt they worked in an olfactory sense, while also creating a sense of place and groundedness. As a brand, we like to explore unexpected olfactory elements in pursuit of new and interesting scent profiles that give the wearer a sense of time, place and a feeling of uniqueness.
Neandertal is known for disrupting conventional perspectives. How do you envision your brand influencing the fragrance industry and beyond?
We are still a small brand but one day, our hope is that the word Neandertal or Neanderthal will no longer be synonymous with wild brutes from the past, and our products will slowly make people think differently about their place in the universe.
Are there any specific historical or cultural references woven into your perfumes to evoke a sense of connection to our ancient past?
Our bottle shapes are modeled from handaxes knapped from flint in England. Humanity has evolved with these tools for over a million years and I believe this is why they feel so ‘right’ in our hands.
As the founder of Neandertal perfumes, what do you hope people will take away from experiencing your fragrances and the existential journey they offer?
I hope we offer a range of ways for people to enjoy what we create; from the simple pleasure of wearing our scent to engaging with artistic activities we offer and the deeper meanings in the objects we create. Ultimately, we hope to add a tiny bit of meaning in people’s everyday lives. We would be super happy about that!
