Yoko Ono’s To The Light exhibition
Smile, you're part of the artwork.
A playful installation that only snapped photos when visitors smiled, turning individual moments into a collective expression of joy.
Brief
For Yoko Ono: Into the Light at the Serpentine Gallery, the artist wanted a participatory installation that embodied her vision of joy, positivity, and collective connection. The challenge was to design an experience that encouraged visitors to contribute their smiles to a growing, shared piece of artwork.
Our Approach
We explored how to turn the simple act of smiling into a meaningful, playful, and shareable interaction. We developed a custom “smile recognition” photo booth that only snapped a picture when a visitor smiled. To ensure the integrity of the artwork, each image was uploaded to a cloud server where it was reviewed and moderated. Working closely with the gallery, our aim was to create a seamless, playful interaction that invited participation while handling high visitor numbers.
We set out to make participation effortless — using technology to turn a simple smile into a meaningful act of connection.
Our Solution
The result was an interactive “smile booth” that only snapped a photo once a visitor smiled. Approved smiles were shared across social channels and projected back into the gallery on a large screen, turning fleeting expressions of joy into a collective artwork. Visitors quite literally became part of the exhibition — their smiles filling the gallery space, spreading outward online, and leaving them with a sense of connection to something bigger than themselves.
Each visitor’s smile became part of the artwork itself, filling the gallery with joy and leaving participants with a shared sense of connection.