The sculpture, creaated by Ulrike Mohr, is called ‘Chiralität’ and represents the enantiomers of carvone: (S)-(+)-Carvone smells like spicy cumin, while its mirror brother (R)-(-)-Carvone smells like sweet mint. In summer, both grow in the neighboring plant bed:)
There are 400 olfactory receptors, and the first cryo-EM structure of one of them (OR51E2) was obtained only this year and the way we experience odors seems to be a combinatorics of activation of some, inhibition of others – like piano chords).
In addition to the sculpture, the artwork includes an herb garden planted on the opposite side of the street. Peppermint and meadow cumin grow in radiant and mirrored plantings. Both plants are ancient medicinal and spice plants and are traditional components of medicinal and herb gardens.