BEHIND
THE LAB
WHAT
WE MAKE
Curiothèque, a neologism merging curiosité and bibliothèque, functions as an independent research unit and publishing house founded in Paris in 2025. Operating under the motto Labor Artis Beatus ("The labor of blessed art"), we cultivate slow, tactile inquiry as a vital counterpoint to the ephemeral acceleration of the digital epoch.
Dedicated to the culture of curiosities, we synthesize archival scholarship with bespoke olfactory art.
We function autonomously, collaborating with independent researchers, curators, and experts worldwide. Our work is sustained by a dedicated circle of patrons and institutions who support this research through limited-edition acquisitions and online contributions.
Curiothèque translates historical research into immersive physical manifestations. Our flagship publication combines rigorous historical analysis with custom olfactory compositions to create a tactile art object.
This physical practice is extended through the Rare Museums Database, an open access directory of forgotten European apothecary and medical collections. Through international open calls, we invite contemporary artists and researchers to collaborate, expanding this living archive to offer an alternative multisensory epistemology of the past.
Currently Curiothèque LAB is supported by the European Union and the Goethe Institut. This partnership funds our active research phase dedicated to Latvian cultural heritage through the 2025-2026 Mobility Grant.
TEAM
Curiothèque LAB was conceived and is directed by Lisa Romeé, acting as a collaborative platform for an international network of perfumers, historians, and visual artists.
LISA ROMEÉ
Artist and researcher with a background in film and theatre production. Recipient of several European cultural grants and alumnus of prestigious international art residencies, she oversees the project’s research strategy and overall creative vision.
LERA SALINSKAIA
Art historian and published researcher. Formerly the Head Curator of Graphic Works at the Library of Arts, she is responsible for the project's historical accuracy and methodology.
KATYA SIDOROVA
Graphic designer and art director responsible for shaping and maintaining the visual identity of Curiothèque.