In Anticipation

WHAT A presentation that reveals how the barriers erected to prevent suicides reflect conflicting requirements dictated by mental health, government policy and public opinion. WHY Barriers and nets are increasingly installed on high bridges in an effort to prevent suicides. As physical manifestations of the line between public life and private crisis, they are tools used to tackle a problem, while the public demands that they be invisible. HOW Kirsten Geekie compiled statistics — dates, materials, heights, fatalities, and so on — about 30 sites and presented it as infographics. Using Google Earth, she created a video that captures the mundane reality of the bridges, an effect enhanced by digital speakers that convey sounds recorded on the bridges.