Sonja Bent is an olfactory artist whose craft embodies a profound, almost mystical connection to nature. Guided by intuition and ancient wisdom, she channels the essence of earth and spirit into her creations, weaving botanical elements with soulful artistry to evoke fragrances that ground and transform. Like a modern-day alchemist, Sonja creates perfumes that resonate deeply, inviting wearers into an immersive sensory journey of self-discovery and empowerment.

Sonja’s journey into the art of scent began with her father, Þórir Bent, who taught her the ancient practices of distillation and essential oil extraction. Þórir, a man deeply connected to the rhythms of nature, nurtured Sonja’s creativity and encouraged her to follow her dreams. Growing up immersed in Iceland’s wild and untamed landscapes, Sonja learned to understand the plants that surrounded her—how to grow, cultivate, and use them for medicinal purposes. She also gained hands-on skills like fishing and foraging, which deepened her bond with the land.

From a young age, Sonja became captivated by the challenge of capturing and creating scents—not only from nature’s flora but also from unexpected and quirky sources. Her experiments extended to bottling the essence of wool, fish, old books, iron, and other evocative objects. This curiosity fueled her lifelong passion for storytelling through scent, blending Icelandic tradition with her own innovative vision.

Today, Sonja collaborates on unique projects that reflect her deep connection to place and culture. For the Hvammsvik Sea Baths, she created a bespoke scent inspired by the raw, untamed nature surrounding the baths. Drawing from the Icelandic landscape, she incorporated seaweed (Fucus vesiculosus & Laminaria digitata), crowberry heather, Lyme grass, black crowberry, moss, and European larch to craft a fragrance that encapsulates the serenity and wildness of Hvammsvik.

Through projects like these, Sonja’s fragrances transcend the ordinary, capturing the essence of specific places and moments while inviting wearers to connect deeply with nature and themselves. Her work explores themes of nostalgia, identity, culture, and belonging, weaving deeply personal and evocative narratives that honor the profound power of scent.

 

  Sonja Bent  

  Olfactory artist & founder of Nordic angan      

  sonjabent@nordicangan.com