1) Introduction / Contagion of Kindness
2) Provocation Text
3) Bullying
4) Cats
5) Fire
6) Solview
7) Help
8) Funders Logos/
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1) Contagion of Kindness
Acts of kindness are like a virus – they are catching – don’t spread the virus spread kindness!!!!
An interactive piece that explores stories of bullying that have emerged from lockdown, practical ways kindness spreads and safe places for reflection… The balance between escapism and the practicalities of actively seeking help. It takes us through stories from local people’s experiences, to data from Rovers on Mars, and the gaming trope of the fire as a safe place to rest and exercise self care. Contagion of Kindness is an interactive work that can be explored on any device with internet (computer, tablet, phone).
To explore the work follow this link: http://contagionofkindness.uk/
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2) Provocation Text
#13 KINDNESS
I want a world where everyone is kind to each other.
Where bullies don’t bully and people are not mean.
I would like a world where people helped each other, helped the homeless.
I want to live in a world where people are kind to animals.
Where everyone is treated equally and has the same chances.
“I would like to be a doctor so I can help people”
“I would like to be an engineer so I can invent ways to save the planet”
“I want to adopt lots of children and animals”
Nobody knows what’s really going on inside a person.
Please let’s be kind to each other.
Just smile and say, Hi!
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3) Bullying
Contagion of Kindness
Their friends got in touch…
Well they were friends… but not now, not after what had happened
It was a strange story all things considered…
They’d been welcomed into their friends family for many years – there for all the important occasions and celebrations birthdays, xmas, Easter, New Year, important family times…
They shared a workspace designed so that they could work and their kids could play together…
They’d literally just signed the contract for a long lease when they invited a new person into the arrangement. It began after a few conversations. Telling them stories of violent fantasies about setting people on fire, how they liked to hurt people… and making them feel intimidated, making them feel their kids weren’t safe in an atmosphere of violence…
The rejection that followed turned friend against friend
That was when the calls started… the phone would ring… a withheld number… on answer a silent pause and then… “I know where you live…” followed by a click as the phone hung up…. Attempts at intimidation…
Over the next weeks they went into the workspace late in the evening, switching on all of the electric heaters… leaving them on all though the night… those ones that are costly to run… doing this every day for weeks…
When the electricity bill came in no one could understand why it was so high… how were they going to split it?
Then the nasty emails came – blaming their children… “if your children hadn’t been using their iPads the bill wouldn’t be so high – you should pay it”
Threatening their business, targeting their children…
The atmosphere in the shared workplace went from kids playing to all out fear and intimidation.
Searching the email address online turned up an account on a suicide forum from a year ago. The posts were about which combination of drugs and chemicals to take to effectively commit suicide… the picture on their account showed them open mouthed with the a speech bubble saying “Help Me!”…
How would it feel to know that someone who you thought was your close and trusted friend could turn around and bully you without any qualms… was the relationship real? Had it ever been?…
What would you do to protect your family?
To stop the bullying they had to cut all ties and build a wall to separate the two halves of the workspace… to seperate the people… They and them….
Bullying doesn’t cause suicide… but it can cause depression and depression in turn can lead to suicide…
If you’re being bullied take action – get help
Share your problem don’t live with it in silence letting it get worse – Tell someone
Get out of the situation
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4) Cats
Two Cats and 10 Kittens were rescued from the abandoned house by RSPCA… the cats had been living there for weeks alone… the interior of the house was covered… literally just a huge cat toilet… a neighbour had seen them coming and going through an open window…
Some people just don’t care… right?
Or do they? Sometimes situations aren’t always what they seem, they’re not always black and white – — – grey gradients complicate matters
A victim of domestic violence they had to escape to a shelter… the three children were taken into care… maybe they were too frightened to return to the house to rescue the cats…. Why didn’t they let anyone know they were there though…Everyone’s circumstances are different…. At least the cats are safe…
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5) Fire
A camp fire burns before you
Pressing and holding the leftover mouse key stokes the fire making the flames grow.
Press and Hold Left Mouse Key To Stoke The Fire
Come, sit down, warm your self beside the fire. This is a beacon of light and warmth.
You have gone through a difficult time and may be exhausted.
Now is the time to rest and recoup in this safe place.
You are safe here.
Give yourself time to think.
Take some time for reflection and plan your next moves.
Rest a while before moving on.
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6) Solview
Solview is our first safe place
It is an audiovisual interpretation of the weather on Mars.
Mars is a dangerous environment but we are safe remotely viewing it from our computers and devices.
We can use this to reflect on our lives here on earth. Looking at engineering projects on Mars can give us insight into the current state of the environment around us.
This experience takes data from the Martian Rover’s sensor monitoring on the surface of Mars and turns it into layers of coloured light and sound.
To explore the different data streams representing the martian weather click the toggle switches to switch on or off the data streams.
If the visuals are slow you can toggle the Lower Resolution switch.
Made possible with NASA’s API key.
https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/weather/
Rover Daily Weather Report From Gale Crater, Southern Hemisphere of Mars
Curiosity Rover
Landed on Mars
6 August 2012 (Sol 0) until present.
Currently at Gale Crater to look at conditions for microbial life and studies in preparation for human exploration.
Perseverance Rover + Ingenuity Robotic Helicopter
Landed on Mars 18 February 2021
Currently at Jezero is the site of a suspected ancient lake and river delta
Click on the Perseverance button takes you to the most recent image from Jezero, a 28 mile wide crater , just North of the Martian Equator.
The info button takes you back to the splash page you came from.
At the top left of the screen are data toggles interacting with these enable you to see and hear the various streams of data
Sol
Sol (borrowed from the Latin word for sun) is a solar day on Mars; that is, a Mars-day. … A sol is slightly longer than an Earth day. It is approximately 24 hours, 39 minutes, 35 seconds long. A Martian year is approximately 668 sols, equivalent to approximately 687 Earth days or 1.88 Earth years.
min_temp-76,max_temp-12
pressure
Tau (atmo_opacity) Atmospheric Opacity (or tau): This is a measurement of how much sunlight is blocked by dust in the atmosphere before it reaches the ground. local_uv_irradiance_index
The visuals show swirling clouds and animated layers of light.
The sounds are influenced by the various data streams.
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Data Report from the most recent transmission from Mars
THE LAST DATA READING BY THE CURIOSITY ROVER TOOK PLACE ON The 10th NOvember 2021 (TERRESTRIAL DATE), SOL 3293 (MARTIAN DAY), MONTH 5.
CURIOSITY IS TAKING DAILY WEATHER MEASUREMENTS AT ‘GALE CRATER’ IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE OF MARS.
THE MINIMUM DAILY TEMPERATURE IS -60°C. THE MAXIMUM DAILY TEMPERATURE IS -24°C.
AT THIS LOCATION IT IS CURRENTLY MIDDLE WINTER.
THE PRESSURE IS 734 Pa (BY COMPARISON TYPICAL SEA-LEVEL PRESSURE ON EARTH IS AROUND 101,325 Pascals (Pa)).
SUNRISE TAKES PLACE AT 05:41 AND SUNSET AT 17:27.
THE LOCAL UV IRRADIANCE INDEX IS DESCRIBED AS MODERATE.
THE ATMOSPHERIC OPACITY (TAU) IS CURRENTLY SUNNY (THE ARE NO DUST STORMS AT PRESENT).
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7) HELP! – Contacts to get help.
We’ve presented stories about the themes of bullying and cruelty to animals. We’ve also presented imagined safe places to temporarily escape a bad situation. If you are experiencing bullying, cyberbullying, domestic violence or worse you need to access real life help and support.
Please speak with your family, friends, teachers. If you can’t turn to them please contact one of the following organisations:
National Bullying Helpline
Provides assistance to individuals struggling with bullying issues
https://www.nationalbullyinghelpline.co.uk/
Helpline: 0300 323 0169
Tel: 0845 225 5787
Open 9-5 Mon-Fri
Samaritans
Samaritans’ vision that fewer people die by suicide.
Contact them if you are having a difficult time or worried about someone else.
https://www.samaritans.org/
Tel: 116 123
Call free, day or night, 365v days per year.
Domestic Violence
Refuge’s National Domestic Abuse Helpline
Tel: 0808 2000 247
https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/Chat-to-us-online
Further help:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-abuse-how-to-get-help
Cruelty to animals
RSPCA
Prevention of cruelty to animals / animal rescue
https://www.rspca.org.uk/
HELP! – Contacts to get help.
We wish you luck and hope you get the help you seek!
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8) FundersLogos
The funders for the “Whats On Your Mind?” Project are:
ARC Stockton Arts Centre
It was supported using public funding by Arts Council England