Reinventing Happiness was a three-year research project from Stedelijk Museum ‘s-Hertogenbosch. During this process we participated on different levels: as an attendant, as floor manager, as an exhibitor and artist in residence. When it became time to present the conclusions, the curator asked us to give a conclusion in addition to the main presentation.
We didn’t feel we could be that explicit about what we’d learned, because we are all looking for happiness. If we knew the secret ingredient we wouldn’t have to look anymore. That’s why we developed an exam for visitors. How good are you at happiness?
We invited visitors to take an aptitude test on being a ‘gelukker’. In Dutch this is a non-existent word, suggesting someone who is a mix of being happier and more successful than others. If the participant scored highly, they received a special brooch as a reward. Read more about the process here (Dutch).
