Ode to happiness

Meer over het boek

This eagerly awaited second edition is a grown-up’s picture book that serves as a charming reminder not to take oneself too seriously. Featuring drawings by painter Alexandra Grant and text by actor Keanu Reeves, this artists’ book explores making the best of challenging situations. In the tradition of a classic “hurtin’ song,” Reeves’ text externalizes a melancholic internal monologue while subtly poking fun at it. Grant’s images, delicately rendered in sombre inky washes, reflect the interplay of darkness and light, pathos and humor present in the text. The work is neither entirely earnest nor wholly ironic, offering a meditation on how we cope with life’s sorrows. Los Angeles-based artist Alexandra Grant uses language as a foundation for her paintings, drawings, and sculptures, having exhibited at prominent institutions like the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles and the California Biennial. She has collaborated with various artists and writers and is a founding member of the Watts House Project. Keanu Reeves, born in 1964 in Beirut, is a celebrated actor and writer known for films such as Point Break, Speed, and The Matrix, as well as his acclaimed portrayal of Hamlet.