Happiness Project; Artist Statement

In this project, I felt that in order to most properly and basely express the ideas elaborated
upon in my essay it was necessary to incorporate my essentially explored theories concerning
human genetic impulse as the direct affectation to happiness. My essay chiefly analyzed those
theories considering human and animal evolution in a genetically-based unit of selection, which
points to the strain of thought which indicates that the human mind and body are mechanisms
evolved simply for the survival and replication of that individual combination of genetic material.
Thus, I could deduce from these theories that the inter-neural reception of the chemical dopamine
(the chemical which signifies happiness when experienced in the brain) is a process which is quite
physical and established as an incentive to acts which may increase an individual genetic prints
chance of survival and hence make the individual carrier more likely to repeat that action. For
example, eating sugar and gaining calories warrants a release of dopamine, as does group association
which signifies protection and resources for the individual. Using these theories, I created a project
which attempts to abolish all pictures of superstition or transcendence painted by old-world
philosophers on the subject of happiness. This art piece represents this message by placing a
brightly-colored flower in front of a human silhouette, and the humans physiology (represented by
the strands upon strands of DNA ladders) responds to this image of a healthy and hospitable
environment with prime resources by releasing dopamine into the brain; creating the feeling of
happiness. The colored metals on either side of the main piece also represent these same ideologies
but more in the realm of presenting this effect upon the viewer themselves; the colors (as stated
previously) are naturally pleasing, and their reflectivity is reminiscent of these same patterns of
reflection found in water, another element which the mind is attracted to. My quote is a statement
from the famed psychologist Antonio Damasio, who completed extensive research into this
physicality of happiness, and it directly links an appropriate knowledge of the innate response to
dopamine, and how this is triggered in terms of scientific process, to the pursuit of happiness. I
chose to represent these concepts because they are the base roots of what the citizens of our society
so strive for in terms of happiness, but instead of offering our considerably depressed population
with yet another insubstantial soul-search, I feel that I illustrate a very present solution for the lack
of happiness in our society and one which takes into consideration the basal construct of a good
feeling.