P.Wharton
Sacrum lumen. Sacred light
WIFI
WiFi is now a volunteer on permanent location at Manchester Cathedral.
https://www.manchestercathedral.org/
For further details on WiFi's location, please see photographs at the bottom of this page, courtesy of Harry Dobbs. Or contact Manchester cathedral directly.
WiFi is a modern-day gargoyle and is meant to be a symbolic guardian of civility, equality and fair play over the internet and social media. Mindfully poised with all the trappings of social media by way of a mobile phone and Net-book/computer/console. I’ve tried to apply all this in a form that is more engaging to children than that of adults. Hence the gargoyle super hero Spider-Man creed vibe I’d hope children would pick up on.
The point? The purpose?
I’d hoped that WiFi is an accessible, engaging platform for adults to open up a responsible dialogue with children and minors regarding their wellbeing, responsibilities and concerns about the World Wide Web. Hence the code of conduct for the internet, social media, gaming AND LIFE Info card/BOOKMARK.
Info card/bookmark. Front.
Code of conduct for the internet, social media, gaming and life.
Children!
Never give away your true identity or location to strangers.
If you are ever pressured to do so, Ignore, block and tell.
See useful links below.
Adults!
If you give children (online) age restricted games
and apps above their age group, YOU ARE potentially
placing your children in an adult environment
with adult strangers.
We live in an age of mass data surveillance and
backup. Actions have consequences that could
disastrously backfire. By UK law you are accountable
should you instigate hatred and discrimination
anywhere. Be responsible. And Kind.
All of us!
There is an army of trolls out there waiting
to rain on our parade. A friend once told me
“If you get into an argument with idiots, they
will drag you down to their level and beat you
with experience”.
Ignore, block and tell.
See useful links below.
It’s not all bad. Be positive, respectful,
kind and sympathetic.
Give more credit to good things you come across.
Share positive things.
Always think responsibly concerning your personal details.
See useful links below.
Info card/BOOKMARK. Back.
WiFi accompanying literature and content.
Schools, parents, guardians, friends and so on, please feel free to print, copy and circulate any WiFi material here in support of this.
As an extension to this project, perhaps create your own WiFi type guardian along with its own story line and share with class mates.
Useful links
https://www.internetmatters.org/
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/findoutmore/stay-safe-facts
https://www.churchofengland.org/terms-and-conditions/our-social-media-community-guidelines
Working model in clay. Notice the paper phone and tablet.
What makes it well worth while.
Whilst I was in Manchester Cathedral proposing WiFi for exhibit, Canon Holgate asked a visiting teacher there could she introduce WiFi to her pupils for their opinion. On asking them what colour should I paint WiFi, they simply said, leave him as he is. Originally I had intended to spray WiFi fluorescent green. During the proposal that day, WiFi was in the distressed grey he will now remain.
Then, the teacher ushered forward a young pupil and said, “Well ask him”.
The little boy asked, “ Do you make dinosaurs?”
Utter magic I thought just before replying, “Well, if you look at his hands, they are like a Tyrannosaurus Rex, and his spine is a little like a brontosaurus. So maybe he is a little bit of a dinosaur”.
He seemed quite happy with this. And this made my day.
Working on fiberglass model.
WiFi. The weird arty stuff.
Everything, everywhere is connected in one form or another. And when you realise this, things aren’t as random as you may have first thought.
Subject matter from all directions form a dialogue. And you seek to transform that sometimes chaotic, diverse dialogue into a form of that presence.
I was intrigued by the idea of the internet, social media and it’s uncanny similarities to that of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. And somehow merging this with the four wise monkeys, see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil and do no evil.
Possibly due to over thinking this, I dreamt I was watching a native elder teaching a young boy the spiritual and survival ways of his ancestors. And I remember thinking, I wish that was me being taught.
Then I was transported to vast open grasslands, straggling behind two or three native elders heading towards a snow covered mountain miles in the distance. At this time I was holding a mobile phone, tablet PC and one of the elders said “if you’d like to learn our ways, you will have to leave those at home”.
It was then I was aware I was dreaming and thought, to leave these at home, I will have to go to sleep within my dream to wake up! So I sought a safe hilltop to fall asleep. Then I awoke for real. At some point I was told the name of the snow covered mountain but I couldn’t clearly recall this on waking beyond something like mount eyelash. High and low I trawled the internet until I hit on Mount Kailash. No vast open grasslands, though. But the name hits home.
From then on it was set that all this would have to take the presence of a wise guardian. A guide. A defending gargoyle of sorts? Something that could convey the presence of all this subject matter. And WiFi came to mind for the title. The tree of knowledge of good and evil.
The four wise monkeys, see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil and do no evil are all symbolised here by way of a featureless face. And by way of the do no evil is the critically poised uneaten apple at its feet.
WiFi. Photographs copyright/courtesy of Harry Dobbs.
Manchester Cathedral from 15th July 2019.
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