A major exhibition exploring travel, memory and the pursuit of happiness through more than 100 works
From 10 April to 4 October 2026, the Boghossian Foundation presents Diary of Happiness, the first major exhibition in Brussels by internationally acclaimed artist Jean-Michel Othoniel. Hosted at the iconic Villa Empain, the exhibition invites visitors into a deeply personal yet universal journey shaped by three decades of travel, encounters and artistic reflection.
At once monumental and intimate, Diary of Happiness brings together more than one hundred works created across thirty years. Sculpture, installation, watercolour and works on paper unfold throughout the villa and its gardens, transforming the space into a poetic landscape of memory, emotion and cultural dialogue.
A Geography of Thought, Told Through Art
Jean-Michel Othoniel has long explored the intersection of sculpture, architecture and landscape. In Diary of Happiness, that exploration takes on a geographical dimension. Each work is linked to a specific country that has shaped the artist’s vision, including Belgium, Armenia, China, France, India, Japan, Mexico, Turkey and the United States.
Rather than a conventional retrospective, the exhibition functions as a “geography of thought”. The artworks trace Othoniel’s emotional and artistic evolution, reflecting encounters, friendships and moments of wonder experienced across continents. As visitors move through Villa Empain, they follow a narrative shaped not by chronology, but by feeling.
Monumental Works and Intimate Watercolours
While Othoniel is widely known for his large-scale public sculptures, Diary of Happiness also reveals a quieter side of his practice. Alongside the monumental installations placed throughout the villa and garden, the exhibition presents around one hundred watercolours and works on paper.
Rarely shown to the public, these pieces form the emotional backbone of the exhibition. Displayed room by room, they resemble pages from a travel notebook. Delicate, joyful and reflective, they offer insight into the artist’s inner world and his ongoing pursuit of happiness through creation.
“The works presented are part of my pursuit of happiness and bear witness to the long journey that has led me from shadow into light,” Othoniel explains.
Villa Empain as a Living Work of Art
The setting of Villa Empain plays a crucial role in the exhibition. The modernist mansion, home to the Boghossian Foundation, becomes more than a backdrop. It transforms into a space of inward travel, memory and reverie.
As Othoniel’s works inhabit the villa, the house itself becomes a place of transformation. Each room offers a pause, a moment of reflection, inviting visitors to slow down and engage with art on an emotional level. This dialogue between architecture, artwork and visitor lies at the heart of the Boghossian Foundation’s mission to foster cultural exchange between East and West.
A Career Defined by Poetic Monumentality
Born in Saint-Étienne in 1964, Jean-Michel Othoniel has built a singular career marked by poetic ambition and technical innovation. After early works in wax and sulphur, presented at Documenta in Kassel in 1992, his collaboration with master glassmakers in Murano introduced glass as his signature medium.
His public commissions have since become landmarks, from the Kiosque des Noctambules in Paris to installations at Versailles, the Louvre, Doha and San Francisco. In 2025, his city-wide exhibition in Avignon attracted nearly one million visitors, confirming his global resonance.
Why Diary of Happiness Matters
In a fast-paced world marked by uncertainty, Diary of Happiness feels timely. The exhibition does not offer easy answers. Instead, it proposes art as a space of reflection, connection and emotional truth.
By weaving together travel, memory and transformation, Othoniel invites visitors to consider their own journeys. Happiness, in this context, is not a destination but a process—shaped by encounters, movement and openness to change.
For Brussels, the exhibition represents a cultural highlight of 2026, reinforcing the city’s role as a crossroads of contemporary art and international dialogue.
Practical Information
Diary of Happiness
Villa Empain, Boghossian Foundation
10 April – 4 October 2026
Tuesday to Sunday, 11 am – 6 pm
www.boghossianfoundation.be
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