In August of 2018 I participated in an artists residency at the National Design Centre in Singapore. The residency culminated in the exhibition Playground of Infinite Happiness. My work, Unexpected Happiness, was on display as part of this exhibition and was installed as a permanent sculpture on the second floor.
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In my research over the years I have spoken to many individuals who have generously shared their stories for me to retell in sculptural form. One thing I observed from these humbling conversations is that those I spoke to who had the most difficult and challenging stories to tell, also expressed the purest sense of happiness and joy. It will always remain unknown how happy we all are relative to each other, but I certainly get a sense that those who found happiness after struggle were the ones who recognised, appreciated and basked in that joy the most - even if it was just a fleeting moment.
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Do you believe in serendipity? It often seems to me that the things which occur seem to be just the right thing - even if I don't know it at the time, I do believe that life's twists and turns have their purpose. That the lows help us value the highs. I experience lots of moments of unexpected happiness, small snatches of joy, which catch me unaware. I try to be open to this - noticing when something is wonderful or good, even if it's simply the pattern of a coffee spill that turned out to be quite beautiful - it's up to me whether to decide it's a mess to be mopped up or a chance for inspiration, (or perhaps a learning about the usefulness of coasters).
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