Social project/installation „Helping response“
Vilnius Academy of Arts
Supervisor: assoc. prof. Robertas Jucaitis
Amidst their daily routines and constant rush, members of society shut their eyes and remain blind to their environment, become apathetic and insensitive to the events that don’t affect them directly. This detachment becomes a serious threat to the wellbeing of society and community: an accident in the street remains just a passing sight for a stranger, with no concern for stopping and lending a helping hand, or even simply asking: “Is everything OK?”. “Helpful Response” investigates this tendency of indifference in Lithuanian society through six authentic stories, which encourage the listener to not turn away and stay aware to others’ problems. The project aims to distance itself from the notion of heroism, preserving sincerity and finding a direct, unique connection with the listener – even if only for a few minutes. Individual tracks of up to 3 minutes are played through noise-cancelling headphones in ordinary social environments – streets, festivals and city events.
Six interactive stories present different, but equally sensitive daily situations: neighbourly and urban awareness, confrontations with issues of suicide, vital threats, drug abuse, etc. The project focuses on the good deed and its story, emphasizing not the acting personality, but the action itself. One often doesn’t know how to behave in situations requiring
help, so at the end of the story small souvenirs are issued: brief instructions on proper course of action in each of the situations and decorative pins reminding us not to shut our eyes and to confidently lend a helping hand.
