Future Happiness is a neon sign based on a sketch by the artist which quotes the phrase ‘future happiness’ from Johnathan Swift’s final letter to Esther ‘Stella’ Johnson, titled Stella’s Birthday, March 13, 1727, before her death. The work was first displayed on the exterior of Portane Castle, locally known as Stella’s Castle, where she had once resided. On one hand the work stands for hope, recovery, and prosperity. On the other hand it is intended as a Swiftian tribute to a perpetually elusive state of happiness and an invitation to consider our (in)ability to find that happiness in the present moment. Future Happiness was originally commissioned in 2021 by Caroline Cowley, Fingal Public Art Officer, as part of the Resort / Revelations Residency Programme. It was first exhibited on the exterior of Portrane Castle (Stella’s Tower). It was later shown in You Breathe Differently Down Here, a group show curated by Amanda Coogan in Draoicht Gallery, Blancharsdtown (2022), Displacement and Belonging, a group show in Rua Red Arts Centre, Tallaght (2023) and Remembering the Future, a group show in The Visual, Carlow (2023).
John Conway - Future Happiness
