In this body of work, the pursuit of happiness is explored through immersing myself in the exercises found in two popular happiness books, Be Happy by Robert Holden and The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. Based on my experience with these texts, I determined the concepts that seem to be significant to the happiness journey.
The project is shot predominantly with a Polaroid SX70 camera. The aesthetic that this camera provides – the nostalgic, unreal qualities – allows for play on the notion of illusion. What is real? What is illusory? In life and particularly in happiness, our perceptions of reality and what may bring us happiness can hamper our efforts of attaining it. Both the airy and the dark, the light and the shadow, the ego (external) vs. unconditional self (internal) attempts at happiness are explored.
