What is your favorite memory?

You may never have thought of it this way, but our memories are a superpower that allow us to travel in time and set us free from the limitations of the present moment. This art project is about amplifying joy by encouraging people to remember and share treasured memories. Recalling memories solidifies them in our minds and hearts while at the same time increasing our inner joy at the moment of retelling.

Researchers at the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen have concluded that developing the skill or art of building, storing, and retrieving happy memories can lead to increased feelings of positivity and happiness, and can fight depression. This is an interactive art piece that invites participants to step inside a replica of an iconic communicative space – the red telephone booth. We envision the booth placed in a corner of the Forest, spotlighted from the top. Although the shape and color of the booth are familiar, as one approaches the glittering neon of our rainbow “Call of Joy” transforms the experience, and brings to mind a magical space.

Inside, an antique phone beckons. Upon lifting the receiver, the participant hears the following message:

“What is your favorite memory? Is it of this Forest or a time beyond? Is it happy, sad, or bittersweet? Can you recall the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and feelings of that moment? Will you share it with us? This Call of Joy is about increasing your joy through remembering and retelling one of your treasured memories. You will have 2 minutes to share your memory. You can choose to be anonymous, or to share your name, age, and place of origin. Press 1 to begin.”

There will be a soft tone when the participant has 30 seconds remaining, and a soft tone when the participant has 15 seconds remaining. At the end of the recording, participants will hear the following message: “To share your memory with happiness researchers and the Call of Joy community, press 3. To keep it in the happy memory vault, press 5. Thank you for sharing, and please take this joy with you as you return to the Forest.”

Next to the phone booth, a hand-lettered sign shares several elements of “Building Joyful Memories.” The sign, in classic A-Frame vintage style, is placed next to the entrance. The sign contains no instructions, only the following listed elements:

- Use All Five Senses

- Experience Something New

- Make A Soundtrack

- Practice Gratitude

- Celebrate Milestones

- Be Weird

- Take the Long Way

- Save the Best for Last

- Tell Your Stories

Our memories are the cornerstone of our identity, the glue that allows us to understand and experience being the same person over time. It seems overly simple to say, but Happy Memories = Happy Life. Electric Forest has brought us so many happy memories since our first visit in 2017. It is a magical place, and we hope to add to that by bringing even more joy to the people we share it with. We look forward to sharing this Call of Joy with our Forest Family in 2023.