Happy Together, 2017
Edwina Corlette Gallery, Brisbane
26 May – 17 Jun 2017
I began Happy Together after the death of Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej in October 2016. I was deeply affected by his passing and felt a need to create something cheerful and uplifting as a way of processing my sadness.
During my research, I became interested in how positive images, particularly smiling selfies, can influence our mood. I noticed that many of the images that made me happiest featured the V-sign, a gesture commonly associated with peace and happiness in Asia.
I began turning these images into “selfie sculptures.” Creating them became a way for me to process grief while finding moments of peace, mindfulness and appreciation.
‘#happy_together I’ 2017 porcelain, gold lustre L 27 x 18 x 13cm M 21 x 17 x 12cm R 31 x 18 x 11cm
‘#happy_together IV’ 2017 porcelain, gold lustre L 27 x 17 x 8cm M 16 x 14 x 5cm R 46 x 18 x 12cm
‘#happy_together IX’ 2017 porcelain, gold lustre L 21 x 12 x 6cm M 16 x 9 x 7cm R 24 x 11 x 15cm
‘#happy_together VII’ 2017 porcelain, gold lustre L 16 x 10 x 6cm M 25 x 20 x 8cm R 20 x 16 x 9cm
‘#happy_together VIII’ 2017 porcelain, gold lustre L 10 x 7 x 5cm M 16 x 13 x 8cm R 20 x 8 x 7cm
‘#happy_together X’ 2017 porcelain, gold lustre left to right 15 x 9 x 5cm 11 x 6 x 5cm 33 x 19 x 9cm 16 x 10 x 5cm
‘#happy_together II’ 2017 porcelain, gold lustre L 26 x 17 x 10cm R 19 x 14 x 10cm
‘#happy_together V’ 2017 porcelain, gold lustre L 12 x 9 x 7cm R 28 x 12 x 8cm
‘#peace I’ 2017 porcelain, gold lustre H37 x W22 x D9 cm
‘#happy_together VI’ 2017 (1/3) porcelain, gold lustre H37 x W22 x D13 cm
‘#happy_together VI’ 2017 (3/ 3) porcelain, gold lustre H45 x W30 x D9 cm
‘#peace II’ 2017 porcelain, gold lustre H54 x W19 x D9 cm
‘#three-monkeys’ 2017 porcelain, gold lustre H68 x W37 x D8 cm
‘#three-monkeys’ 2017 (detail) porcelain, gold lustre H68 x W37 x D8 cm
‘#course_of_happiness’ 2017 porcelain, gold lustre H37 x W18 x D15 cm
‘#course_of_happiness’ 2017 (detail) porcelain, gold lustre H37 x W18 x D15 cm