The Happy Show at the Museum of Vancouver

Posted on April 7, 2015 in Events, Tourism, Vancouver

“Don’t worry. Be Happy.” These wise words sung by Bobby McFerrin are sometimes easier said than done. But if you’re looking for a little inspiration or just want to enhance your already-festive day, you may want to take a stroll over to the Museum of Vancouver to check out Stefan Sagmeister’s Happy Show.

Stefan Sagmeister, a New York-based designer who blends striking typography and imagery together, is best known for his album covers for OK Go, the Rolling Stones, and Lou Reed. Sagmeister conceived the Happy Show by culminating 10 years of research into what makes him happy. He did so by taking year-long sabbaticals from his work as a designer to try and define and control his own happiness.

Beginning April 23rd, the Happy Show exhibits will take over museum galleries and even spaces like stairwells and restrooms with infographics, video projections, and interactive installations. Among the different exhibits, visitors will find a stationary bike that powers a neon lit wall, a giant inflatable monkey and a series of gumball machines that display visitors’ collective levels of happiness.

Audiences will also be able to preview Sagmeister’s unreleased documentary, The Happy Film. Sagmesiter has previously documented his struggles with alcohol, drugs, weight gain, and depression. This documentary will observe his attempts to increase his happiness through meditation, cognitive therapy, and pharmaceuticals.

Stefan Sagmeister: The Happy Show runs from April 23 to September 7, at the Museum of Vancouver. Click here for further details.