Exhibition Possibility: A set of instructions exists on how to make this work

Jolene Vaccine Challenge

Objective:

We’re building on Dolly Parton’s $1million donation to support COVID-19 research at Vanderbilt University. To get their attention, to educate them on the Open Covid Pledge, and to add pressure for them to sign the pledge, we chose to produce a viral music video parody of the song “Jolene” by Dolly Parton.

We now want to encourage all universities to sign the Open Covid Pledge, so we are currently discussing the “next challenge”: how to create a full-length video in a way that inspires even more people to get involved and ask universities to make a meaningful change.

The Project:

The #JoleneVaccineChallenge is an interactive project, initially intended to target Dolly Parton and Vanderbilt University. However, with the success of the project, we are now targeting universities all over the world! (Read more under “Objective” below.)

We are making a music video parody of the song “Jolene” by Dolly Parton. Do you know the song? The chorus lyrics, “Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene…” have been adapted to “Vaccine, Vaccine, Vaccine, Vaccine.” Check out the video link to see how we rewrote ALL of the lyrics.

The challenge, i.e. the “interactive” element of this project, is twofold. First, we invited all members of the Free the Vaccine campaign to help us make a “trailer” for the music video. The video link here is the trailer, which consists of just the first chorus and verse to the song. At the end of the trailer, we challenge viewers to send videos of THEM lip-syncing/dancing to the song. We made a downloadable track and supplied the lyrics to the whole song for viewers.

STRATEGIES:
TRY THIS:

Record your own lip sync and share it on social media. #JoleneVaccineChallenge

Perform it in your own community.

What worked?

Without Occupy Democrats having shared our video on Facebook, we would have had a MUCH harder time going viral.

Other Notes:

Thousands of people across several social media platforms watched and shared our video. We are continuing to call and email Vanderbilt and Dolly Parton representatives to remind them of our video and its growing number of likes/views.

Based on the initial response to our trailer, we’ve decided that our full-length music video should now target universities all over the world. Our trailer features members of Free the Vaccine from many different countries, emphasizing Parton’s and Vanderbilt’s global impact. In continuing this theme, for the full-length music video, we plan to have a few singers/dancers wearing not only Parton costumes or Vanderbilt t-shirts, but also, for example, t-shirts from other universities.

    A set of instructions exists on how to make this work
  • Original files can be provided for exhibition
  • The work can be reproduced on site with instructions (provided)

Links:

Reflections from Dannie Snyder

What were some of the responses to this work?

We have gone viral! That in itself is a huge response to our work.

As far as viewers accepting the challenge and submitting videos… So far we have only received a handful of submissions. (It’s not too late to send one yourself!) We are currently outlining our schedule for releasing the full-length music video (probably during the first week of December) as well as three “promotional” videos between now and then; three videos (at least) to help boost our views/likes on social media.

Unfortunately, Dolly Parton and Vanderbilt representatives have not been responding to our emails and calls.

What would be your next steps, building on this idea, if you had a million dollars and all the time and skills in the world?

If we had a million dollars, we could probably think of a million ideas! Our team is always bustling around “what if we…?!” Off the top of my head, we would project the final full-length music video onto Dolly Parton’s house(s) and Vanderbilt’s buildings. We discussed the idea of – when COVID cases and social distancing measures relax – a march around Nashville in Dolly Parton costumes. But, why just in Nashville!? Why stop there?! And wouldn’t it be awesome to have the video produced in every language?! We have also discussed how to get famous people to lip-sync/dance for our full-length music video.

About this project
Creators:

July, 2020

Video

United States, Nashville

1920×1080

Public Domain

Link to Original or High-Res file

A COVID Infographic

Objective:

To share the FreeTheVaccine campaign on social media, specifically focusing on having one’s network sign the Open COVID Pledge.

The Project:

Set of infographic images detailing the importance of urging research institutions to open license the COVID vaccine.

STRATEGIES:
TRY THIS:

Share it on social media. #FreeTheVaccine #PeoplesVaccine

Make a version for your target.

What worked?

I received many inquiries from fellow UCLA students on the campaign, with many of my friends and family members signing on as part of the BINGO game. I also saw reposts of the graphics from strangers on Instagram, broadening our overall outreach efforts.

About this project
Creators:
  • Tiffany Chen

July, 2020

Image/graphic, Online/web thing

United States, San Francisco

2160 x 2160 px

Creative Commons BY

Link to Original or High-Res file

Other Notes:

From the infographic’s creation date on July 1st to today (July 25th), over 2 million new COVID cases have been reported globally, and almost 250,000 more deaths. Very shocking and further highlights the importance of the pledge and campaign.

  • A set of instructions exists on how to make this work
  • Original files can be provided for exhibition

Links:

Reflections from Tiffany Chen

Making Masks for Statues to Free the Vaccine (for COVID-19)

Activists from the Free the Vaccine project stage a photo to urge the university to adopt open licensing for COVID-19 research

Objective:

We wanted to raise awareness and create public spectacle as part of a larger aim of engaging with Columbia on many fronts in trying to have them sign the Open COVID Pledge. The groups we seek to reach in building our case of support for #FreeTheVaccine includes reaching out to students, professors, researchers, alumni, community members, and anyone else who might be interested in having Columbia act as a leader in the area of making any future vaccine research accessible to not only it’s communities, but to the broader public.

The Project:

Columbia’s Alma Mater Statue Dons Surgical Mask for an Accessible COVID-19 Vaccine

NEW YORK, NY, May 19, 2020 – Alma Mater, the “nourishing mother” of Columbia University’s student body, sported an oversized surgical mask, sash, and vaccine bottle this weekend, as the Class of 2020 graduates into a world transformed. The iconic 1903 bronze statue sent her students off with a simple message: “Be Well.”

Nearby statues of “Alma’s friend’s” were also decorated with signage in support of an accessible vaccine. These images were created and then distributed to a variety of media outlets.

We also created a how-to video to encourage other folks to don friendly statues with masks of support in their locations.

STRATEGIES:
TRY THIS:

Make a version for your target.

What worked?

We pulled together all of our different strengths as a Lab, and got good public response to the in person intervention. We also created some fantastic images that have bolstered our reaching out to folks connected with Columbia and our digital presence in general.

About this project
Creators:
  • Joseph Amodei
  • Rachel Gita Karp
  • Elizabeth Felicella
  • Connor Smith
  • Ashley DaCosta
  • Carly Besser
  • Nadine Baldasare
  • Victoria El-Hayek
  • Stacy Early
  • Beth Dunlap

May, 2020

Image/graphic, Installation/Intervention, Online/web thing, Video

United States, New York

variable

Public Domain

Download Original/High-Resolution File: salk_Columbia_highRes.zip

Other Notes:

We staged the scene to draw attention to a growing global campaign demanding open licensing arrangements for COVID-19 research and development efforts at universities worldwide. Such arrangements would help to ensure access to life-saving innovations developed with tax-payer funds. Columbia, located in the epicenter of the global pandemic, is one of the world’s foremost research institutions investigating vaccines and therapeutics to combat the virus.

  • A set of instructions exists on how to make this work
  • Original files can be provided for exhibition
  • The work can be reproduced on site with instructions (provided)

Links:

Reflections from Joseph Amodei

What was the process/journey of creating this work?

This project was the action that really cemented the relationship the Ligers share. We came together with different skills, backgrounds, and proximal locations to Columbia to make this project happen. It was fun, collaborative, and exciting!

What would be your next steps, building on this idea, if you had a million dollars and all the time and skills in the world?

We are talking about how to expand on this action in the fall! We would surround Alma Mater with a live counter of all those who have signed on with individual support in and around the Columbia community. This would take the form of some sort of giant mechanical object, or nightly projection-mapped interventions (all of course while Alma was wearing a mask).

Free the Vaccine Snapchat filter

Objective:

To use the filter to generate awareness about Free the Vaccine and its aims. Also, to run this filter in Zoom meetings using SnapCamera (https://snapcamera.snapchat.com/) so that people would ask about the image connected to my head. This sparked many conversations about Free the Vaccine!.

The Project:

This is a Snapchat filter I created that sports the Free the Vaccine Logo as a face-tracking headband.

STRATEGIES:
TRY THIS:

Use it.

Redesign it.

What worked?

This work generated a lot of questions and a lot of joy!

About this project
Creators:

April, 2020

Image/graphic, Online/web thing

United States, Brooklyn

Digital

Public Domain

Download Original/High-Resolution File: freethevaccine-Snap.gif

Other Notes:

  • A set of instructions exists on how to make this work

Links:

Reflections from Joseph Amodei

What was the process/journey of creating this work?

It was exciting to use my new media art skills to adapt an activism strategy that evolved from the situation created by the pandemic (i.e. living on Zoom).

What would be your next steps, building on this idea, if you had a million dollars and all the time and skills in the world?

I would make more filters, create them in all different languages, and publish them across a wider variety of platforms.

If someone else were going to make/use/do something like this, what advice would you give them?

This type of internet/new media work is easier to get into than one might think! Give it a try!

Plants for Covid Research Champions

Objective:

Two things – firstly it provides a strong physical and visual way to create a movement of appreciation, that is easy to share, easy to participate in, and ethical in its design (both environmentally and for social distancing / shielding).
Secondly, it is a positive and celebratory way to get the attention of scientists and researchers, building awareness at multiple levels of an institution about the Open Covid Pledge (not just the TTO offices, but the scientists who might be more sympathetic). This helps put more pressure on the institutions as we build supporters.

The Project:

In appreciation of those researching treatments, diagnostics and vaccines for Covid-19, we dedicated plants to Covid Research Champions. Anyone could join in with a plant dedication, and as long as they tagged us on twitter or insta, we made sure the scientist was aware of it.

STRATEGIES:
TRY THIS:

Dedicate a plant.

What worked?

The positivity of it was what worked best – as seen in the responses from scientists.

About this project
Creators:

April, 2020

Image/graphic

United Kingdom, London

490 × 874 534KB

Other Notes:

If there was a flaw, it was that there were perhaps too many steps to be simple – we were open about which researchers to target, perhaps we should have focused more on just one or two and bombarded them with flowers and dedications.

  • A set of instructions exists on how to make this work
  • An original object can be provided for exhibition
  • Original files can be provided for exhibition
  • The work can be reproduced on site with instructions (provided)

Links:

Reflections from Rachel Reid

What were some of the responses to this work?

Nice responses from scientists thanking us for the dedications
Positive engagement from colleagues outside our team within Free the Vaccine, and friends with their kids, who did their own dedications.

What would be your next steps, building on this idea, if you had a million dollars and all the time and skills in the world?

More targeted on individuals, more sharing to get a real movement going on. More planting!

The Not So Average Singing Card

Objective:

The objective was to introduce a researcher developing a vaccine in Switzerland to the Open COVID Pledge. We wanted to send a letter versus an email, as we feel it’s more personal, but thought it important to put a creative spin on the humble letter.

The Project:

Bored of sending standard letters that don’t necessarily get read? Try something new and send a singing card! We designed the card ourselves, plus recorded our message and inserted it into the card. You may have seen musical birthday cards before — well, now you can send your own musical access to medicines card!

STRATEGIES:
TRY THIS:

Make a version for your target.

What worked?

It’s super easy and creative! We feel it’s more engaging for researchers, and it’s just not that hard or expensive to make. We feel that makes it an accessible and effective action.

About this project
Creators:
  • Alessandra Saviotti
  • Sofie Farkas
  • Jessica Schepis Martinez

April, 2020

Online/web thing, Print

Netherlands, Amsterdam

N/A

Creative Commons BY-NC

Link to Original or High-Res file

Other Notes:

  • A set of instructions exists on how to make this work
  • Original files can be provided for exhibition

Reflections from Sofia Weiss Goitiandia

What would be your next steps, building on this idea, if you had a million dollars and all the time and skills in the world?

If I had all the time and money, I’d really like to scale up the action. Get graphic designers on board, and formalise the fabrication process to make the cards look really professional. Then send them to everyone! In that way, I’d hope we’d make them an iconic tool for contacting researchers / other stakeholders in access projects. And of course it would be great if all the researchers kept the cards and then decorated their desks with them.

If someone else were going to make/use/do something like this, what advice would you give them?

Making the card is really easy and relatively cheap, you just need an EZSound module (most common options are 30” or 60”) that you can buy online for around 10 EUR and record your message. The louder the better! Most of the devices record a looped message, so be aware that can be overwhelming! But perhaps that’s the intention. (If you check out the interview video with us, we talk about how that was our intention and the effect of a looped message!) Pay attention to how to assemble the card, the mechanism needs to be activated while one opens it; it is actually easier doing it rather than trying to explain it. We suggest testing a couple of times to understand the right position of the recorder before glueing it to the card. The easiest way is to get a musical card first (the one you can find for birthday wishes for example) and disassemble it, so you’ll see how it is. Good luck!