In July 2018, the government of Delhi, India initiated an educational program called “The Happiness Curriculum” to decrease anxiety, depression, and intolerance in students up to grade eight. Inspired by India’s meditation initiative, this art installation, also titled “Happiness Curriculum,” explores the possibilities of meditation in spaces of dysfunction. The project is a four-walled space where viewers are invited to sit inside a dimly lit room surrounded by vibrant paintings. A geometric sound and video projection play over the paintings, bringing life to still images. The paintings on the surface appear vibrant, colorful, and “happy”. The more time the viewer spends in the room, however, the more the video installation projects out a haunting sound and claustrophobic-like pattern. The project questions mental health in the American context by inviting viewers in a university setting to experience comfort and discomfort in one breath.
Installation at Eastern Connecticut State University, CT [20 ft x 17 ft x 11.5 ft]
7 minuets and 55 seconds animation and audio running in a loop, layers of hand painted glassine paper. Paper cut outs with an x-Acto knife, canvas, drop cloth, 31 small wood panels 10 in x 8 in. oil and acrylic paintings, hand knotted Iranian rug, projector.
