British artist Stuart Semple will be debuting his first American public art exhibition in Denver over the summer.
Don't worry, be happy, Denver! Acclaimed British artist Stuart Semple is coming to bring a little cheer to our city in a brand new public art exhibit titled "Happy City." Its sole purpose -- to create city-wide happiness and make everyone feel more connected and in-tune with one another. Happy City will make its debut on May 19 and run until June 10. The Denver exhibit is said to be inspired by his 2009 Happy Clouds display in London, where he released 2,000 pink, smiley-faced clouds over the city's financial district. The clouds were made from eco-friendly helium and soap, which caused them to disappear after 30 minutes. [caption id="attachment_30171" align="aligncenter" width="843"]
Courtesy of Stuart Semple (Facebook page)[/caption]
Semple is working with the Denver Theatre District, NINE dot ARTS, RTD, Visit Denver, and many other organizations to make the exhibit a possibility.
The British artist discusses the impact of his Denver exhibit:
"We live in a time where public space is threatened with fear, and people seem to be more atomized and isolated than ever ... I am so incredibly lucky to be able to work on this scale and with such open-minded people in Denver. I'm hoping that what I share will work, and that we might actually prove that art in public spaces can be more than just decoration -- that it can have a direct and useful public impact."[caption id="attachment_30169" align="aligncenter" width="787"]
Courtesy of Stuart Semple (Facebook page)[/caption]
The exhibit's installations are said to be huge and immersive, with some even being permanent fixtures in the city. Happy City will expand to Union Station (an Emotional Baggage Drop) and the Colorado Convention Center Light Rail Station ("Happy Station"). Any other installation locations will be announced closer to May 2018.
Executive Director of the Denver Theatre District David Ehrlich told The Know that the exhibition is one of the District's "most ambitious" efforts to date.
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