Whisky carries centuries of tradition in every drop. Oak barrels age the liquid gold over decades, while master distillers craft complex flavor profiles that connoisseurs spend lifetimes learning to decode. Yet the most powerful elements — aroma & scent—have long remained ambiguous and invisible. Until now.
Siddhartha Kunti, working under the name Studio Siddhartha Kunti (SSK), built a unique work at the intersection of art, science and technology. The project turns invisible molecules into three‑dimensional digital sculptures—artworks that audiences can see and smell. The collection, which took two years to build, premiered at London’s Saatchi Gallery during the DIGITALISM showcase of the British Art Fair, curated by Rebekah Tolley.
When Chemistry Becomes A Canvas
Kunti’s artistic vision is grounded in science. He conducted what he describes as the largest private gas chromatography–mass spectrometry study on spirits ever completed, analyzing 830 liquid samples from 21 countries. The chemical study produced over 65,000 lines of molecular data, which became his artistic palette. For context, a published academic study by Stupak et al. analyzed 171 whisky samples using high‑resolution mass spectrometry, providing one of the largest scientific datasets available on whisky aroma.
Whisky, a longtime passion for Kunti, served as his primary subject. A dram contains hundreds of volatile molecules: esters hinting at fruit, phenols evoking smoke, lactones suggesting vanilla and coconut. Kunti isolated these compounds and sculpted them into intricate three-dimensional forms using specialized software. The results are abstract geometries pulsing with colour and depth, each a singular portrait of the chemistry in a particular Whisky.
Visitors at the Saatchi Gallery experienced these digital sculptures, pictured above, alongside nano‑technology scent cards, which allowed them to inhale the exact molecules they were viewing. Sight and smell merged in real time, uniting two senses rarely paired in galleries.
Beyond Art: Scent’s growing Role In Society
“Smell is one of our most underrated senses,” Siddhartha Kunti explains. “With Origins, I hope to make people see what they’ve always felt—that scent shapes our emotions, memories, and wellbeing.”
A study by Sandeep R. Datta supports this, showing that the olfactory bulb connects directly to the brain’s limbic system, where memory and emotion reside. A single whiff can transport someone decades backward, reviving feelings once forgotten. Major brands such as Nike and Abercrombie are exploring this connection in retail, using signature scents to create immersive, emotionally resonant experiences. Kunti’s work seeks to harness that neurological influence, enabling the ephemeral to become experience.
Research shows that the sense of smell is closely linked to memory and emotion. Odor signals travel through the olfactory bulb directly to the brain’s limbic system, activating regions tied to recollection and feeling. A single scent can evoke memories from decades past, bringing emotions to the surface. Kunti’s work taps into this neurological link, transforming fleeting aromas into tangible, shareable experiences.
The importance of smell and the ‘’digitization’’ thereof is a part of a pioneering domain as described by The World Economic Forum. Advancements in this area can improve disease detection, food safety, and public health initiatives. Kunti’s work connects art to these broader scientific and societal topics and uses molecular visualisation to help decode the language of smell.
For Kunti Whisky is just the starting point as he is already exploring other areas in fashion, food & fragrance. Ever since he was a little boy, Kunti was a high-energy, technology geek. Yet, while hiking with his Austrian grandfather in the mountains he also became enamoured with nature and the restorative powers of tranquility, clean air and clear water. Blend this with him being at the forefront of tech (3D printing & AI) for more than a decade and it establishes a compelling formula for novel art.
Unique collectibles Acting As Timecapsules
With the Art market going through fundamental changes, according to Artnet, it’s good to see artists stepping up to the challenge of creating inspiring works that offer something fresh in order to appeal to a new generation of collectors.
‘’Digital art has entered a new era. Siddhartha transforms scent — the most elusive of senses — into a visual language. Combining whisky’s deep cultural history with advanced molecular analysis, he expands what Digitalism can be. This is truly groundbreaking work, proving that the future of digital art is multisensory, scientific, and profoundly human. — Rebekah Tolley, Curator of DIGITALISM, British Art Fair’’
Kunti’s work is a fusion of tradition and innovation. Whisky, once confined to barrels and glasses, now finds new expression in pixels and data. Asked about his plans for the Origins collection he states he’s already talking to brands, hotels, distilleries and creative agencies to showcase the work.
For collectors and connoisseurs, these unique digital Whisky artworks (available as pure digital works as well as 1/1 sculptures) are not simply visual experiences. They’re time capsules that bridge the physical and virtual world. Would you like yours on the rocks, neat or on screen?
