London: "Hey!...

HEY!… MY FRIEND WHAT'S THE MATTER?

HEY!... MY FRIEND WHAT'S THE MATTER?

RETURN home just in time to have lunch.
OPEN the door.
CLIMB the staircase and go in to the room.
NOTICE a man on the front roof.
LOOK with more attention and notice that is a boy.
REFUSE to be witness to a suicide.
BELIEVE he was doing something with somebody down in the garden.
HAVE the idea of snapping two photos.
GO DOWN to the kitchen to prepare lunch.
GIVE a glance from time to time at the front roof.
BELIEVE that somebody else sooner or later will see him.
VERIFY that he is always there, motionless.
SHOOT another photo also from kitchen.
SWITCH ON the television while he is there.
SET the table while he is there.
START to eat while he is there.
FINISH to eating while he is there
BE SURE that some neighbour saw him.
WAIT for somebody to notify the police.
OBSERVE him shrugging his shoulder and putting his head on his chest.
OVERCOME you fear...of what?
DECIDE to call him.
WATCH while he bends forward.
TRY to...
SEE him fall down.
SAY “It’s my fault because I didn’t open the window and shout”
HEY!... MY FRIEND WHAT'S THE MATTER?

HEY!... MY FRIEND WHAT'S THE MATTER?.

Instructions for use

A) Read the text which tells an event that really happened, as you can verify in the document of the court.

B) Observe the three photos carefully.

C) Think about whether to consider GUILTY or INNOCENT the observer of the fact, because he didn’t open the window and shout; "Hey!…My friend, what's the matter?"

D) Therefore send a message telling me your incontrovertible judgement by writing down a simple word, GUILTY or INNOCENT. Moreover, if you want, you can add a message explaining the reason that determined your verdict.

E) Also any considerations, comments, stories inspired from the fact are very well accepted.


All the communication will be published on web site in space following the project.

N.B. For personal message use this e-mail: salepepe9598@yahoo.it






COMMENTS:

27/03/2004
pino boresta, roma

Net Art Competition New Radio and Performing Arts, Inc. is pleased to announce that with the support of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, 5 net.art projects will be commissioned for the Turbulence web site in a juried international (open to non-Americans) competition. http://turbulence.org/comp_04/guidelines.htm (A) Your name, email address, country, and web site URL (if you have one). My application (A) Your name, email address, country, and web site URL (if you have one). Pino Boresta, via Garibaldi n.55 00037 Segni (Roma) Italy, salepepe_99@yahoo.it www.piziarte.net/boresta.htm - 46k http://www.piziarte.net/boresta.htm (B) A description of the project's core concept (500 words maximum). This is my project experiment with New forms of interdisciplinary like eletronic poster, the display pannels like that one there is in Piccadilly Circus in London ed every where in New York. This is my Project I have decided to contact you, to present a project I firmly believe could result deeply interesting for the Net Art and New Media My work as an artist, has always been focused on interventions that take place inside urban settlements, considered more as crossing points of different existences than as architectural or urbanistic spaces. The aim of my artistic work is to force people to reflection, upsetting their habits and social conventions, to insert the of doubt in the strict/tight texture of our everyday life. Those are exactly the reasons for which I have chosen the urban context, where the coactive mechanisms of everyday life become more evident: through my art I wish to urge people to experiment new ways of social interactions, to modify their perception of urban spaces, to live the town in a different way. On the web site “...”, is actually hosted one of my projects, entitled “Hey my friend, what’s the matter?”, in which I try to transform a dramatic and private experience into an invitation to reflection, urging visitors to express their opinion on the exposed facts. I think that “Hey my friends what’s the matter” is a strongly significant project, which, presented in the right manner, can involve a great number of people, .......to invade the city streets and their inhabitants’ houses. The idea I’d like to expose you is quite simple, and I wish it could be realized in more country Find a sponsoring firm interested in buying ad spaces on billboards or pages on newspaper and magazines and other wireless devices, on which should be published and see the starting image of the project, (YOU CAN SEE UP) with no other indication than the web site address of the sponsoring firm itself. The web site should then be linked, with a banner or a pop-up window, to the remaining pages of the project, so that the surfer will be able to visit the entire project and to express his/her personal opinion. It seems obvious to me that, by this way, the sponsoring firm could receive a great advantage, since every person who, after seeing the billboards or the pages on newspaper, wants to know more about it, is force to surf through the sponsoring firm web site. I am actually trying to realize this same project in Italy, and specifically in Rome, but, since “Hey my friend” was thought from the beginning as an international project, I wish it could be presented at least in different country. I hope that this idea can interest for the net art competition waiting for your answer, I send you my best regards, (c) Details of how the project will be realized, including what software/programming will be used. Specs for the Turbulence server are available here. You may request additional software but we cannot guarantee it. http://www............................................. (D)additional software but we cannot guarantee it. not additional software JDK(J2EE) 1.3.1_04 JDK(J2SE) 1.4.2_02 HERE THE LINK WHERE IS VISIBLE THE PROJECT ON WEB http://random.exibart.com/NotiziaStandard.asp?IDNotizia=8996&IDCategoria=3214 (E)Names of collaborators, their areas of expertise, and their specific roles in the project. Only me, (for the moment) (F) A project budget, including other funding sources for this project. 10000 euro (not other funding a the moment) (G) Your résumé/CV and one for each of your collaborators. My Cv here; http://www.chartusia-projects.it/2003/borestabiblio.htm no collaborators (for the moment) (G) Up to five examples of prior work accessible on the web. Here web-art project www.arteutile.net/boresta/boresta2.htm -
http://www.pinoboresta.com/boresta_eng.htm
http://www.pinoboresta.com/no_logo/no_logo_e.htm


05/11/2003
Angeloni

Well, good luck with your projects dear Boresta. Cheers, F/ Angeloni


02/07/2003
Marianna Andersson

Hej! Jag har semester, återkommer 10/6. Hälsningar Marianna


02/07/2003
Wierzbicka Elisabeth

good luck, wela


27/06/2003
from- tamara lai-
URBANGS http://users.skynet.be/tamara.lai/URBANGS/urbangs.htm

link Web Biennial 2003- tamara lai- URBANGS -


27/06/2003
he didn’http://www.liberarti.org/view.php?action=start_date

Thursday 12th December 2002 Project: "Hey!...My friend, what’s the matter?" Artist: Pino Boresta Think about whether to consider GUILTY or INNOCENT the observer of the fact, because he didn’t open the window and shout; "Hey!…My friend, what's the matter?"


27/06/2003
Murphy

http://x-arn.org/hub/liste.php3?n=3&body=85
date: Thu, 08 May 2003 18:32:13 -0400 subject: [thingist] FW:

Gulty or Innocent'? Pino Boresta from: Murphy to: Thingist An ethical dilemma as art? Well, maybe. But what caught my attention was the salutation "Hey my friend ..." because I hear it often at work from my European and Cuban co-workers. An American would never address another that way. A Quaker might address you as "Friend" but not "my friend". Where did this particular salutation come from and does it denote an ethical difference between American and other cultures? Or is it simply a matter of translation? murph offshoreonline


30/04/2003
rael, netherlandsreminds

me of the story of Odile Redon. He was ashamed to look to the nude swimmer who was drowning, and turned his head. Terrible dilemma's. But I believe you can't actually save a human's live on that sort of circumstances. There is a game-element in the situatiuon where you ever loose. Got to do with (in)dependancy / autonomy. Imposant pictures.


01/03/2003
Anca,

Romanianthe man climbed on top of the chimney to be seen, he wanted someone to stop him, he was looking for hope (as its in our nature). he is in a suburban middle class neighborhood,im sure whatever bugged him was fixable. its not a silver bullet because he is bored, and doesnt know what else to do with the beans. this man found out his wife was cheating on him and he probably works too damn hard to enjoy life. Verdict is guilty u uncompassionate slobwho is more interested in his dinner than a human life.


01/03/2003
Christopher,

USIf you were placed in that situation as a witness, then you have to ask yourself if there are any coincidences. If you don't think so, then you have an obligation to act. Even if your interference in this man's action still caused his death, by fright or surprise, then at least you acted, you took part in the situation rather than being a fearful jellyfish retreating into your comforts. Then again, the man went to such an effort, climbing the roof, the chimney, and waited so long to do it, not taking himself out in a quick manner, maybe he wanted the element of performance and drama for his final end, and needed an audience. So you were meant to be there as an observer. In the end, guilty of fear, which is an easy judgement for an armchair jockey to make.


28/02/2003
Rebecca Hackemann,
British/German http://www.rebecca-h.net/

GUILTY You should not have shouted out of the window, because that may have given him a fright and he would have fallen off the chimney. But you should have called the police to let them know. Then THEY would have shouted up and given him such a fright that he would have fallen off.


18/02/2003 Tamara Laï, Liege / Belgiumhttp://tellamouse.be.tf/

Colpevole! Guilty ! Coupable! Inacceptable que cet homme, pendant tout ce temps, n'ait eu à aucun moment ne serait-ce que la curiosité de lui demander 'tout va bien ?' 'vous cherchez quelque chose ?'...


18/02/2003
Tamara Laï

Colpevole! Guilty ! Coupable! Inacceptable que cet homme, pendant tout ce temps, n'ait eu à aucun moment ne serait-ce que la curiosité de lui demander 'tout va bien ?' 'vous cherchez quelque chose ?'...
Tamara Laï


22/01/2003
LaurenOdman

I would see him in my mind every beautiful day....my heart would hurt each time I saw a full moon. I wonder if he cried...


08/01/2003
Randy, Texas,
USAINNOCENT of the person's death. GUILTY of caring. Randy Texas, USA
14/09/2002marianneMy gut feeling is to say ignorance more than guilt is to blame. Anonimity in big towns is very overwhelming. En francais, c'est peut-etre plus proche de l'italien: ma reaction est de dire que l'ignorance est a blamer plus que la culpabilite. L'anonymite des grandes villes est ecrasante. j'espere que ce message vous sera utile Marianne


13/09/2002
Guido Vermeulen

28/05/2002 22:31
Da: Guido Vermeulen INNOCENT ! 1) If you had opened the window and shouted "HEY! What's the matter?" maybe that would have frighted the man so much he could have fallen down, so instead of helping him you would have killed him 2) On the possible suicide of the person ... Are you the police or a social worker or the pope that does not allow suicide? If a man wants to say goodbye to life, that's his decision, sorry ...


13/09/2002
Albertina PianarosaAt 12:06 PM 5/7/02 +0200, you wrote:

Colpevole. Dobbiamo parlarci. I meant that people should talk more to one another like in old small towns. ap Albertina Pianarosa Information Centre Assistant Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada apianaro@aucc.ca


13/09/2002
Guido Vermeulen
28/05/2002 22:31

Guido Vermeulen INNOCENT ! 1) If you had opened the window and shouted "HEY! What's the matter?" maybe that would have frighted the man so much he could have fallen down, so instead of helping him you would have killed him 2) On the possible suicide of the person ... Are you the police or a social worker or the pope that does not allow suicide? If a man wants to say goodbye to life, that's his decision, sorry ...


13/09/2002
Rosalie White

Hi! I felt this both important and proper to you giving my response. I do not feel you are either guilty nor innocent, for this is not the issue as I see it. Rather the television has created a particular desensitizing, not particular to you, but all. So the beautiful world of true life suffers MANY trajedies while individuals give their priorities to T.V. I am sorry you felt estranged from your most vital present; instead giving a box your precious senses. The sadness is immense for all forms of indifference for reality giving the breath you breathe. The media cannot do this. Much love and true light for you and the male being giving choice to suffering. I am an artist on arteutile. I thank you for this opportunity of communication. My sadness is that it has arisen at the cost of life responsible enough to choose. Rosalie White


13/09/2002
Rob One of the grants ha scritto:

Innocent. Yes you may have had an effect on the situation BUT What if the person was playing with someone below, not intending suicide and your call frightened him and he then fell... Would not your guilt be greater? If you were late home for lunch and missed seeing him before the fall would you feel any responsibility?. Would you give the event a second thought, other than it happened in your neighbourhood? Why do we continually judge ourselves and others? regards rob


15/08/2002
Gustavo, Stockholm/Swedenhttp://www.fa-art.pp.se/

Why did you wait so long to open the window?? You are off course not guilty, but pathetic. ...you know that young lads can feel suicidal for the most stupid reason... Not guilty - sad story but why did you wait so long?


1/09/2012
Brendan Smart

GUILTY
i am running towards a burning car on a two-lane highway somewhere in texas, and a fellow is standing there with a video-camera, he spins around to film me approaching, watching a miniature version of myself on a swiveled-out viewfinder. i ask him if there are any casualties, any survivors-- he says he doesn't know, still gazing down into his camera. i ask him if he has called 911-- no, he says, surprised that i would even mention him, suggest that he should have any part in this other than recording, to what end i do not know. for a moment we make eye contact-- perhaps i glare at him.


no bodies on the pavement, no signs of blood. black smoke is billowing out of the car's cabin, and i can't make-out if anybody's inside. i tell the man with the camera that he should step back a bit, because you never know if the gas-tank might blow, like in the movies-- in retrospect, i am unsure if i made this statement out of genuine concern for the man, or out of contempt.

he is still standing there when i jog away, back to my own car which is pulled-offed to the side of the road. my sister is in the front passenger seat, and is slightly hysterical-- she didn't want me to go anywhere near the burning car, because this happened only a few months after the WTC attacks in Manhattan, which she had witnessed from a distance of 1.6 miles away; don't get out of the car, she had shouted at me, I've been in this situation before and there's nothing you can do.

=====

i am being driven down a highway in saudi arabia-- this is many years later-- and i spot a white bundle, sprawled-out in the middle of a lane-- is it a body? am i looking at another body?

highway deaths are a regular feature of life here-- bodies slumped thru broken windshields, or else catapulted off the highway's edge into the desert sand, where they die of shock and exposure, waiting for an ambulance will only arrive much later, after the fact. the young men tell me that they occasionally speed thru red-lights, because "--everything is in the hands of Allah".

at first it shocks you, and then you grow numb.

but this is something different-- a body, a human being, abandoned to his fate on the concrete, without anybody even stopping to check on him? all of the cars are just... swerving around, not even slowing.

surely i must be mistaken-- surely it must be something other than a body-- just a cloth sack, easily mistaken for a man in the reddish brown dust that is always blowing out of the desert-- surely if it were a man somebody would have stopped, already-- surely i am mistaken--

these thoughts continue for another fifteen minutes or so, as our car turns off the highway,and proceeds along a two-lane road bordered by

bull-dozed desert, featureless except for the random bits of trash and concrete rubble that have been dumped there.

=====

i say GUILTY because we are all guilty of turning a blind eye to another person's suffering, at one time or another-- there are so many ways of turning our eyes blind, yes?

blinded by cameras; blinded by distance, class and culture; blinded by fear, and occasionally self-preservation; blinded by the moment's confusion; blinded by the dust that blows off of the desert, blinded by the gasoline smoke of burning wreck, blinded by words like "guilty" and "innocent".