Words by Smiley Team
With whimsical characters and messages of positivity, artist Amy Broch will bring chirpiness and cheer to London Bridge this spring, with the help of business network Team London Bridge. To mark the UN International Day of Happiness, we discovered how her series of art installations will help spread joy this spring.
As we come out of lockdown, London Bridge station will become a treat for the eyes, while the streets outside will be occupied by messengers offering notes of positivity to passersby. As the creator of this installation, Amy aims to capture people’s senses and make them laugh after the difficult period we’ve gone through due to Covid-19.
“My artwork aims to provide a therapeutic release for people as each and every day is important,” she said. “I would like to make people feel as happy, loved and appreciated as possible."
The self-described whimsical gangster and emerging conceptual artist created JOY Bomb London after her husband, Sean, was diagnosed in 2018 with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). This neurological disease affects the nerve cells that are responsible for controlling voluntary muscle movements such as walking and talking.
Learning that happiness was linked to better treatment outcomes and longevity for ALS patients gave a greater significance to the installations she had been experimenting with for years. JOY Bomb London was born, and with it, a creative mission of having fun for fun’s sake.
The project’s parent organisation, Illuminate Productions, also focuses on generating happiness. It’s founder, Caroline Jones, explained: “We now strive to develop a high-quality creative programme of multi-sensory, interactive and joyful experiences aimed at promoting positivity, happiness, wellbeing, connectivity and emotional intelligence.”
She added: “For me, a successful project is one where the participant feels something inside. Art has the power to create change in a person and also in life.”
From large-scale public artworks to small, intimate experiences, Illuminate Productions has created over 250 projects since Caroline launched the London-based organisation over 15 years ago.
“I founded Illuminate Productions, to commission and produce contemporary art in unusual yet accessible environments,” she explained. “I was interested in site-specific artwork that had public interaction at its core.”
As a nonprofit organisation, Illuminate Productions relies on sponsorships, patrons and partners to finance their projects. If you are interested in partnering with them get in touch via [email protected].
For information about volunteering opportunities visit their website. They are looking for people to fill a diverse range of roles including admin work, events organising, research and installation.
Discover more about the organisation and view previous projects here.
