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)
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