I didn't expect to have this much of a reaction to this exhibit...to any really. But I dragged my friend who's not really into art and he thought it was amazing, as did I! Definitely a show everyone should see, and despite what Stefan said at the beginning of the show, "This will not bring you happiness..."- I actually gained happiness from this show because it was like looking at someone else's portrayal of how I sort of felt about happiness and the mind's emotions.
The Happy Show's visuals and factual writings blended very well! The slow movement of coffee jumping out of a cup helped your mind develop thoughts as your eyes were reading the little blurbs. The cigarette paper instillation which spelled out "Uselessness is Gorgeous" took the longest for me to figure out and once I did it felt ironic because of how long it probably took!
What really resonated with me was the blurbs about his personal experiences, that I could definitely connect with because I think the same way. Especially about writing in a diary and trying new things after seeing that I would continually repeat the past. About self confidence and being useful to others when your feeling neurotic.
I walked counterclockwise when first entering the exhibit- so what I got from doing this was that the show started off as purely factual about the percentages of happiness within couples and such and then it gradually became blurbs from Stefan himself telling the viewer what he thinks about things and how he reacts to others.
I think the quote that struck me the most was the one about the mind and elephants- that was quite beautiful and brought me happiness. "The MIND AS A SMALL RIDER, THE Conscious, SITTING on a giant ELEPHANT, the unconscious."
I am very glad I got the opportunity to connect to something like this, it really struck a cord with me. I really need to go to more exhibits.
-Alice Robinson
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