Questions

During my visits to the spots where Mosquitos are installed, I developed a series of questions, that was based on documents and online material around this topic. The artists Katarina Jazbec and Setareh Noorani initially joined in forming questions, and initiated, a series of informal interviews and conversations with frequenters and inhabitants around those spots.

to frequenters

sound and device

• Do you notice the sound?
• Does this sound remind you of something?
• How would you describe it?
• Can you mimic it?
• What is the meaning of the high pitched sound for you?
• Is the sound directional or spread?
• Does it change depending on distance and angle you are?
• Do you think the Mosquito alarm is 'smart'? Why?

embodied experience

• How do you feel about it?
• Are you noise sensitive?
• What do you sense in your body?
• Are you irritated when you are exposed to it for a prolonged time?
• In your imagination what form this sound has? Is it like a ghostly experience?

hanging out

• Why do you hang out here?
• What do you do when you hear the high pitched tone? Do you leave?
• Have you changed your frequent hang-out spot because of that?
• What sounds would you like to listen to in the public space?
• In the city there are bats, rats, cats, dogs, birds that hang out as well. Do you ever see animals passing by?
• Do you think animals are also bothered by the sound?

negotiations

• Do you feel unwelcome here?
• Do you hear complaints from the inhabitants for your presence?
• Have you been approached by somebody and had conversation about nuisance?
• Were you introduced to other alternatives? Like the youth social workers?
• How was it before in the neighborhood for you?
• What would make possible to renegotiate the act of 'hanging out' with the inhabitants?
• Did you ever file a complaint for the sound?

to inhabitants

activation and device

• Do you know about the Mosquito device?
• Can you hear it?
• How is it activated/switched on?
• Who controls the buzzer?
• Do you get updates for the results of the use of the mosquito?
• Do you experience nuisance from the device?
• Who decided to use it?
• Do you have children or young friends that visit you? Do they hear this sound and are they annoyed by it?

nuisance problem

• What is happening in your area during the night that you don't like? Can you describe the situation?
• How did you address the issue at the first place? Did you ever talk to these young people?
• How did you complain about it? Did you use some app? Or did you make a phone call?

safety

• Do you feel safe now after the use of the Mosquitos?
• Is the device a good and safe response to the yearlong problem of loitering youth?
• Is the neighborhood better controlled now?
• Was any other solution applied in the past?
• This hang-out seems very cozy for young people. Your home is next to a designed pleasant hang-out. What do you think about that?

to both

• Do you hear the Mosquito behind the walls or windows? Is the sound absorbed in the walls or water?
• In what perimeter do you think the sound is emitted? Do you stay out of the range?
• How loud do you think it is?
• Do you think this device is 'smart'? Why?
• Are any of your freedoms restricted because of nuisance/noise?
• Why you think these streets were chosen for installing these devices? Is there some history of anti-social behavior there?
• Did you encounter other similar interventions in this area in the past?