Exhibition curated by me and Priscilla Otani for Arc Gallery & Studios in San Francisco, Nov 16 - Jan 11 2025.
JOY shares a diversity of euphoric experiences and the effects of positive emotion on the body with art that sparks pure delight. Joy brings catharsis, builds resilience and brings people together. This deliberate turning to joy is not a shying away from the reality of sadness, pain and distress, instead—it is about drawing on a deep sense of joy at the known and unknown, linking thankfulness and hope. Artists reclaimed the joy of artmaking by tapping into one’s inner child or by displaying moments of contentment they’ve experienced or witnessed. We asked artists to answer the question—what does happiness means to you in the here and now, and to provide a window into a personal source of peace and pleasure.