Instructions for happiness – an absurd promise? An exhibition at the 21er Haus sets out to explore this subjective, elusive feeling and scrutinizes conceptions of happiness.

Instructions for Happiness is dedicated to the personal pursuit of happiness. Using behavioural guidelines, the works of participating artists invite responses to simulated situations through the use of objects or by interacting with others – or simply provoke the processes of thought.

Arrangements that vary in form and content mirror the diversity of perspectives that the artists – as much as society in general – hold towards being happy. Just as with interpersonal relationships, immediate encounters or everyday situations, happiness may also hide in appreciating the beauty of the little things. The exhibition reflects art’s impact on society and seeks the boundaries of what it can do. Visitors are invited to explore ideas of happiness and to thereby also find their own answers.