Thursday, July 4, 2013

In Memoriam: Sandrine Videault

Ashen Death

I used to think, my friends,
I used to think...
that all things
were marching on this Earth
in their true colors.
Joy was white,
grief was pale,
love was pink and
death was black.
I thought so...

And I passed my days
with my colors laid clear.
With my dreams tidy.
With my poems neatly written.
Because it was thus I saw them.
Or I thought so.

~Menelaus Lountemis (Constantinople 1906 - Athens 1977)


It is with extreme shock that I'm relaying the news of the untimely demise of perfumer Sandrine Videault, whose work and generosity of spirit -above all- I had come to love. Reading the somber email, thanks to the providence of her husband and Nathalie Prichard, left me with the bitter realization (once again) of how perishable we are, how frail. Just when she was about to launch her latest fragrance Magnolia Grandiflora, fate had other plans for her. May the soil that covers her be light, as she shed light to the lives of those she became a part of.

You can read an interview with Sandrine Videault I had conducted some time ago on this page.


14 comments:

  1. Sad news, Elena.
    Life is always too short.
    Nicolas

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous15:27

    I am so sorry to hear this sad news.

    Yes, a very bitter realization that of how perishable we all are.

    RIP Sandrine.

    :(

    Dawn

    ReplyDelete
  3. Nicolas,

    thank you for coming here and commenting.

    C'est triste car elle était si joyeuse elle même. Lumineuse...

    Condolences to the family and may we remember her through her work.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you Dawn for your nice note.
    It was incredibly sad finding her husband's note in my mailbox this morning.

    She's now delivered from the suffering and the nothingness of this world. It falls to us now to burden ourselves with the ephemera of carnal life.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous17:19

    Manoumalia is one of my all-time top ten favorites, and I've often wished for more perfumes by Ms. Videault. Seeing on Olfactoria the impressive list of the scent installations that she was involved in, I realize she was truly an olfactory artist. It's a loss for everyone who loves perfume but far greater for her family, naturally - they have all my sympathy and respect.

    Thank you for giving expression to this moment so beautifully, Elena. ~~nozknoz

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous17:30

    Correction, the list I referred to is on Scented Salamander. ~~nozknoz

    ReplyDelete
  7. Prince Barry21:24

    I haven't been fortunate enough to smell any of Sandrine's creations :( Now I feel that I need to smell them.

    I have shared this post on Facebook.

    ReplyDelete
  8. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  9. My heartfelt sympathies to her family and friends, as they navigate the void left by her passing.

    xoAnita

    ReplyDelete
  10. Sad news. Her talent and creations will be remembered.

    I should now go and spray some of the wonderfully luscious Manoumalia.

    cacio

    ReplyDelete
  11. Nozkoz,

    it's the least I could do. She deserves much more than a few lines, that's for sure, but I felt numb after hearing the news.

    Thanks for mentioning the many installations, yes, she had a great non commercial work and this is exactly why I cherished her contribution to this world of scent.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Barry,

    thank you, it's a very small contribution to her memory.


    I suggest you do explore her work: for Les Nez (Manoumalia is simply stellar), for Les Nereides, for Esteban, now the Magnolia...

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anita,

    thank you for your note, I know it means a lot to relatives and friends to feel people appreciated and loved the person they lost.

    ReplyDelete
  14. M,

    indeed, very very sad :-(

    I believe the greatest homage we can do to creative people is continue to revel in their creations. I know Manou has gained a new, richer, deeper meaning for me now.

    ReplyDelete

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