HAPPY MEDIUM

The daily pressure to be or obtain happiness, is often in conflict with societies expectations, and has been commodified into a business. 

installation images

Happy Medium Neon

Altar to Happiness (in Triangular Form)

Neon, album covers, video, digital collage,

photography, paint, wood, plastic

2014


(Rows: Top to Bottom)

Happy Medium Neon

28” x28”


Album Covers (with neutral expressions.)

A few vinyl albums from my childhood, a time when you went to record stores, and discovered new music


Videos: (Left to Right)

1 American Reality (synced on 1st and 5th monitor)

Duration 40:53

TV reality shows that have America in their names. A genre of guilty pleasures.


2 Ocean 1

Duration 4:02


3 Midpoint - Happy Chaos

Duration 7:27

Split screen depicting happiness and chaos superimposed with diagrams and famous quotes on happiness.


4 Ocean 2

Duration 4:10


5 American Reality (synced on 1st and 5th monitor)

Duration 40:53


Side Effects: (series of 13)

Information and colors obtained from each drugs website. Text highlighted In red are the drug side effects. The molecular composition of the drug and the anatomical illustration pertains to the area effected by the drug.

The long list of side effects seems to negate the help it advertises.

8” x 8” each


Happy Sad Animation: (series of 23)

5.5” x 5.5” each


Floppy Disks

A simpler time when 1.3 megabytes was considered large,

and 56kbs dialup online speeds was fast.

Side Effects (Series of 13)

5th Row in : Altar to Happiness

Information and colors obtained from each drugs website. Text highlighted In red are the drug side effects. The molecular composition of the drug and the anatomical illustration pertains to the area effected by the drug.


The long list of side effects seems to negate the help it advertises.


Digital collage

8” x 8” each

Happy Chapters (Series of 10)

Three sources were combined for this series of ten pieces. Juxtaposing harsh realty with self-help hope.

2014


‘Pop-up’ collage assemblage, image transfer,

polyurethane on wood; pine and walnut

9” x 5 1/2” each.



Unhappiness Is Easy-Happiness Takes Work


The Mind Plays the Central Role


There Is No Good Definition of Happiness


Comparing Ourselves with Others


Equating Happiness with Success


Fear and Avoidance of Pain


Expectations


The World Has Too Much Pain


Seeing Yourself as a Victim


Happiness Is a By-product

The Weight we Carry 

Weightlifting plates, light-box, plastic

2014


Inscribed on the plates are the 7 deadly sins (left side),

And the 7 virtues (right side), in Latin and with their color indication.


Vice             Latin                         Virtue                 Latin

Lust             Luxuria                    Chastity            Castitas

Gluttony     Gula                          Temperance   Temperantia

Greed          Avaritia                   Charity               Caritas

Sloth            Acedia                     Diligence          Industria

Wrath          Ira                              Patience           Patientia

Envy             Invidia                     Kindness          Humanitas

Pride            Superbia                Humility            Humilitas

© 2021 Stephen Anderson