The Happiness Project is a recent curatorial initiative driven by Tricia Van Eck of 6018 NORTH. Van Eck resigned as Associate Curator from the Museum of Contemporary Art in June of this year to develop the art space. The Happiness Project is her fifth endeavor since leaving the MCA.

The exhibition activates public storefronts throughout Chicago and features over twenty artists with a number of performances, dinners, workshops, group exhibitions, installations, actions and interventions.

The Happiness Project encourages artists to imagine a cultural program which promotes and advances happiness as its goal. The works are intended to be “directed, yet open” and embrace a sense of both relational aesthetics and communal empowerment. The dynamic of the project underlies the growing demand for engaging, accessible and public dialogue within the contemporary cannon, and intends to reflect, build upon and provide a voice for artists as new Chicago Mayor Emanuel creates his cultural policy plan.

Environmental, communal and political vitality are all key, conscious elements of the project. The initiative reminds us that happiness and its pursuit is not only a right, but also a fundamental power we all have access to.

"Untitled" by Jason Lazarus, 30x40" archival inkjet 2010, photo courtesy of the artist and Andrew Rafacz Gallery.

The Happiness Project commenced October 24th and closes November 30th, 2011. Artists include Joshua Abrams, Lisa Alvarado, Gwyneth Anderson, Nick Black, Olivia Block, Keith Buchholz, Jesse Butcher, Dayton Castleman, Alejandro Cesarco, Derek Chan, Chelsea Culp, Meg Duguid, Iker Gil, Amber Ginsburg, Ricardo Harris-Fuentes, Neil Jacobsen, Mark Jeffery, Robin Kang, Katie Klein, Julie Laffin, Jason Lazarus, Kirsten Leenaars, Lou Mallozzi, Adelheir Mers, Joseph Mohan, Judd Morrissey, Joseph Mills, Sabina Ott, John Preus, Anthony Romero, Lisa Rousett, Laura Shaeffer, Jillian Soto, Jan Tichy, Ashley Thomas, Julie Walsh, Natasha Wheat, and Francis Whitehead.

Claire Molek is an EXPO CHICAGO associate with This Is Not The Studio.