core of joy

core of joy — art installation proposal in Toronto, Canada

An austere circular structure of floating corrugated metal invites your curiosity. As you approach, you see the movement of legs inside, building up anticipation to discover what the interior holds. You circle around, and are surprised with a cut in the wall that lets you in.
Welcome to our core of joy.

As we move through these uncertain times, we all need a place where we can find happiness. As you enter this joyful refuge, you find yourself surrounded by colorful draperies, flowing in the wind and reflecting their colors onto the interior of the metal sheets, while a warm orange sun emerges above. Generous proportions enable social distancing, while the embrace of the structure maintains intimacy and warmth. Not only a shelter from the elements, this refuge provides a space for surprise and reprieve, inviting you to relax and smile.

The installation is composed of 18 modular parts that can be shop-fabricated out of simple, widely available materials and quickly assembled on site. The lifeguard stand lives inside of one of these modules, allowing visitors to experience the installation from a higher point of view. At the end of the exhibition, all materials can be easily recycled or, as common building materials, donated to local shops and artists for future projects.