After the Rain

This artwork is named after a fragrance of air freshener commonly available at the time in British supermarkets. After the Rain, like many other aerosol air fresheners, has a poetic name. McClymont made a series of work at this time that found the sublime within ordinary objects and products.

After the Rain conjures up the memory of hot roads, tennis courts, or bike rides after a rain storm in the summer. This smell is recreated within the installation by using real sections of road and recreating the conditions in which that childhood smell was originally made.

The artwork is constructed from sections of road surface, reclaimed from road repairs. The asphalt is warmed with infra-red heaters and water is continuously dripped onto this surface, releasing steam and re-creating the smell and memory of childhood summertime after the rain.