“The impulse to save a perfume—for special occasions, for the right moment, for when I’m finally ready for it to be gone—is the signal to wear it now. Like a peach that has been ripening on the table and is perfectly juicy, sweet, and fragrant: this is when I will savor it most fully.”
Vanitas: Perfume and the Spectre of Death is a meditation on perfume, mortality, and the limited time we have to enjoy beautiful things. Moving between the treasured bottle, the ripening peach, and the traditional symbols of Vanitas painting, Aubrey Gurtovenko considers the impulse to preserve what is precious.
The essay is illustrated by fifteen full-color frames excerpted from a Super 8 film of the same name, which was written, filmed, and scented in Seattle.
Each copy of the book is accompanied by Vanitas, a limited-edition perfume created by Aubrey, with notes of ripe peach, spiced patchouli, and phantom incense. Choose between a vial of perfume, available in the US only, or a scented paper strip.
Details:
Preorder — begins shipping Fall 2026
First edition
Foil-stamped softcover, 34 pages
Fifteen full-color Super 8 film frames
Written, filmed, and scented by Aubrey Gurtovenko
Ships with a vial (US only) or scented paper strip of Vanitas perfume
“The impulse to save a perfume—for special occasions, for the right moment, for when I’m finally ready for it to be gone—is the signal to wear it now. Like a peach that has been ripening on the table and is perfectly juicy, sweet, and fragrant: this is when I will savor it most fully.”
Vanitas: Perfume and the Spectre of Death is a meditation on perfume, mortality, and the limited time we have to enjoy beautiful things. Moving between the treasured bottle, the ripening peach, and the traditional symbols of Vanitas painting, Aubrey Gurtovenko considers the impulse to preserve what is precious.
The essay is illustrated by fifteen full-color frames excerpted from a Super 8 film of the same name, which was written, filmed, and scented in Seattle.
Each copy of the book is accompanied by Vanitas, a limited-edition perfume created by Aubrey, with notes of ripe peach, spiced patchouli, and phantom incense. Choose between a vial of perfume, available in the US only, or a scented paper strip.
Details:
Preorder — begins shipping Fall 2026
First edition
Foil-stamped softcover, 34 pages
Fifteen full-color Super 8 film frames
Written, filmed, and scented by Aubrey Gurtovenko
Ships with a vial (US only) or scented paper strip of Vanitas perfume
