BERLIN.- An art installation by British artist Anna Berry, titled "The Constantly Moving Happiness Machine," is set to open at the DenkRaum "Time & Timeliness" within the Dahlem Research Campus of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation. The exhibition, running from May 18 to July 20, 2025, delves into the complex relationship between time, consumption, and manipulation in contemporary society.

Berry's installation aims to address the acceleration of consumption and the continuous generation of desires, presenting these as fundamental mechanisms of the current economic system. The work encourages visitors to reflect on their roles as consumers and their participation, often unconscious, in global capitalism.

A key feature of "The Constantly Moving Happiness Machine" is its interactive component. Visitors are invited to turn a crank, setting the installation in motion. According to exhibition materials, this action is intended to evoke the immediate gratification associated with everyday consumer behavior. However, the installation carries a layered message; its constituent objects are made from books reflecting the ideological texts of Ayn Rand, which support principles of neoliberal market capitalism.

The artwork challenges viewers to recognize their implicit acceptance of advertising and consumer strategies and questions the manipulative techniques used to foster a consumption-oriented society. The exhibition also prompts reflection on productivity, overtime, and the broader impacts of consumer behavior. It serves as an invitation to examine unspoken consent to capitalism and the mechanisms of self-seduction, offering a critical perspective on time, the economy, and personal consumption habits.

In addition to the main installation, the exhibition includes photographs from Anna Berry's Corona series and her still lifes. These works are described as humorously reinterpreting classical themes, presenting everyday subjects with a distinctive, witty perspective that encourages a simultaneously playful and thoughtful consideration.

The DenkRaum "Time & Timeliness," which hosts the exhibition, is part of the Dahlem Research Campus, a new research and presentation hub of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation. The campus aims to link various competencies to develop and showcase knowledge about material and immaterial cultures, emphasizing transparent research processes and participation.