黄越敏
Inspiration
In recent years, many people saw strange things happen in China. After being lifted up by a well-intentioned people, the elderly declared to passers-by that he was knocked down by the kind-hearted person and claimed for indemnity. More and more reports of similar incidents shocked and confused me. I started to seriously think about it.
If the same thing happen me and I face a dilemma, what I will choose? Fortunately, no matter how many times I suppose, I still choose to lift up the old man who lies on the ground and needs help. I can’t convince myself to rejects a person who genuinely needs help and feels the pricks of conscience because of risk.
I believe there are many ordinary people in the community who make the same decision with me, and we know the risk of being blackmailed, but we are still willing to insist on what we think is right. However, this does not mean that we do not need affirmation. When our small charity can also be noticed, an expression of gratitude is a kind of support and recognition, which affirms our kindness, let us have more strength to face absurd things and believe that what we adhere to must be meaningful.
Artistic Expression
I choose poster as my ways of artistic expression. I place a poster in a corner in public without being totally pasted. ( As the poster in the left side )
Someone who helps paste the poster will see my gratitude I prepare for this charity.
Why I Choose Poster
As a relatively common way to deliver information, poster has less and less influence. For my work, with reduced functionality, it also represents weakened intentionality when helping people. "Just for a pasted poster rather than the information on it," such a pure form of help leads to my choice of poster.
In addition, such interactive form largely limits its audience, so people who really need the type of gratitude information can be selected and receive my gratitude. And let them feel that when they choose to help others, the creator pick them.
Work Preparation
Appropriate Site For The Poster:
I spent two mornings investigating a suitable location for the poster. I chose a quiet, narrow path in order to avoid unwanted attention when I put up the poster. It would therefore be best if I could paste the poster during the night or in the early morning.
Ideally:
Finding a bulletin board located in a quiet area.
Reality:
As the posters can easily come off, they are usually encased in a bulletin board with glass doors for protection. The poster cannot be pasted outside of the bulletin board, as it may be deemed as illegal advertisement.
In the end, a plastic bulletin area located at the construction site was selected. Since construction notices were regularly posted on it, the poster would not appear out of place.
Work Process
I observed the passersby’s reaction to the poster from the door of a nearby beauty store.
Time: 2 hours
Passersby: 55 people
Did not notice the poster: 42 people
Glanced at the poster: 6 people
Patrol of cers: 8 people (of which two of cers walked past three times but none of them noticed the poster)
Helped me pasted my poster:0 people
Conclusion
I interviewed pedestrians in the street about their opinions on my work because I did not reach the ideal state and give up hope. They firstly mentioned that posting location was valued by them. If posted in the wrong place, they were likely to peel off.
But there were still a lot of people who thought my ideas were very interesting and warm. Some passers said they did not care if the poster fell down because it was exposed to the weather.
Although the results were not ideal, I got some recognition in latter interviews. I also believe that, if the location, time and other issues are solved, my work can be successful in the end.