HAPPINESS DUO SYSTEM

• object, painting

• 2022

In folk medicine, holy water has always been considered a powerful remedy. Miraculous springs are an important element of folk culture. Over 120 of them are described in the monograph Cudowne źródełka w Polsce [Miraculous Springs in Poland], and the list is far from complete. The passage of time and various factors, e.g. connected with the geographical location of these places, have affected the popularity and visibility of the springs. Depending on the source, holy water can have different properties. Usually it is supposed to treat a specific condition, although some miraculous springs can heal almost anything, from a broken heart to visual impairment. In most cases, they are associated with Marian apparitions and legends about supernatural healings. An example is the spa in Radoszyce, where Mary appeared to a leper and cured her, or the story of one of the most popular healings in Święta Woda [literally: Holy Water], where a man banished from his village supposedly had his vision restored. There are also legends from more recent times. According to one of them, drinking water from the spring of St. John of Dukla helped Lech Wałęsa become President of the Republic of Poland.

HAPPINESS DUO SYSTEM is a sentimental monument dedicated to the artist’s mother, who for years lovingly poured litres of miraculous water into her daughter, believing that it would bring her health and beauty. The polychrome sculpture is made of plaster mixed with the waters from several miraculous springs with different properties. It is a prototype of an inexhaustible source – a dietary supplement that would make people happy if taken regularly.