Lessons of Happiness

Tania Stupnikova
Lessons of Happiness
Acrylic on canvas
60×60 cm
2024
Košice, Slovakia
Price: 895 EUR

In a faraway kingdom, eerily similar to our homeland, there was a war. People suffered and died, rights and freedoms were trampled, and the enemy relentlessly bombed peaceful towns and villages. People hid in basements and bomb shelters, and even school lessons were sometimes held in these underground shelters.
Those who lost their homes received little to no help and were living below the poverty line. Leaving the country was an option for only a few — only those who were not able to fight.
Then, the queen decided to help the children by introducing something called “Lessons of Happiness” in schools. She didn’t resettle the refugees, she didn’t feed the hungry, nor did she build new shelters. No, she thought the best solution was simply to teach the children how to be happy.
This painting is about that faraway kingdom, where a small creature hiding in a basement is being taught how to be happy. But happy mask won’t stay on their face. Because that’s not how we become happy. We are happy when we are free, when we are with our families, when we are safe…