Photographers Visualize the Meaning of “Joy” in Group Exhibition

In Colors Joy exhibition for Lumicroma

“Simple Happiness” by Amir Behroozi (Iran). Taken in Iran, 2015

What does the word “joy” mean to you? This is a question that 56 photographers from 22 countries answered with their images for the third edition of the In Colors Project, which is themed around this concept. The resulting exhibition of 75 works offers a poignant glimpse into what joy looks like around the world.

In Colors Project: JOY is an initiative by Lumicroma. This Portugal-based online magazine and photography platform came to fruition during the pandemic as a way to promote visual culture. Now, it has expanded into a physical location, with JOY on view at the Centro de Arte de São João da Madeira in Portugal, as well as Lumicroma's website.

Curated by Aníbal Lemos and Sandra Maria Teixeira, the exhibition shows joy in myriad forms. From a toddler playing on a rainy day to a man taking in a glacier under the Milky Way, these visuals give meaning to an abstract emotional concept. As a viewer, it's fascinating to see which images resonate with our own personal feelings around joy and which others push us to reconsider our own definitions.

Scroll down for a preview of the exhibition and then head to the Lumicroma website to view all of the images and vote for your favorite.

The In Colors Project: JOY exhibition is a fascinating look at what this emotion means to photographers around the world.

In Colors Joy exhibition for Lumicroma

“Untitled” by Juan Rodríguez Morales (Spain). Taken in Pontevedra, Spain, 2020

In Colors Joy exhibition for Lumicroma

“Ode to Glaciers: Sentinels of Climate Change” by Luigi Vagamo (Italy). Oulettes, France, 2024

In Colors Joy exhibition for Lumicroma

“Via Sant'Agostino” by Lucrezia Testa Iannilli (Italy). Taken in Palermo, Italy, 2019

In Colors Joy exhibition for Lumicroma

“The Little Prince” by Ângela Berlinde (Portugal). Taken in Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2004

Christening of an artisan fishing boat

“Christening of an Artisan Fishing Boat” by Paulo Monteiro (Portugal). Taken in Rabo de Peixe, São Miguel Island, Portugal, 1998

Exhibition Information:
In Colors Project: JOY
July 5, 2025–September 27, 2025
Photography Gallery, Centro de Arte de São João da Madeira
Rua Paula Rego, São João da Madeira, Portugal

Lumicroma: Website | Facebook | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Lumicroma.

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Jessica Stewart

Jessica Stewart is a Staff Editor and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. Since 2020, she is also one of the co-hosts of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. She earned her MA in Renaissance Studies from University College London and now lives in Rome, Italy. She cultivated expertise in street art which led to the purchase of her photographic archive by the Treccani Italian Encyclopedia in 2014. When she’s not spending time with her three dogs, she also manages the studio of a successful street artist. In 2013, she authored the book "Street Art Stories Roma" and most recently contributed to "Crossroads: A Glimpse Into the Life of Alice Pasquini." You can follow her adventures online at @romephotoblog.
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