earth dot sky

Filmmaker and Installation Artist Roberto Mighty, MFA, is America’s first cemetery Artist-in-Residence, and the inaugural resident artist at Mount Auburn Cemetery, a National Historic Landmark and America’s first garden cemetery. His 'earth.sky' installation features films and multimedia in an immersive, computer controlled, multi projector traveling exhibit now available for museums worldwide. earth.sky "Missionary of Mercy" Interred: Dorothea Dix Title: Missionary of Mercy Note: Pioneering advocate for the mentally ill Dorothea Dix (1802-1887) belonged to a generation of straight-backed New England women whose religious faith inspired them to expose and battle social injustice. Teaching Sunday School in an East Cambridge prison, the 38-year-old Dix was sickened by what she found: damaged children, violent criminals and half-clothed patients from the overcrowded state mental hospital crowded together, shaking in the March chill. Moral outrage transformed the timid teacher into a humanitarian crusader. Over the next decade, she travelled across the United States and Europe, reporting on the appalling conditions of jails and asylums, pressuring politicians, presidents and Pope Pius IX for kinder, gentler homes devoted specifically to the care of the incurably insane. When Dix turned her attention to the issue, in the early 1840s, the United States possessed 12 public asylums for the insane poor; thanks in part to Dix’s relentless lobbying, by the time she died, a hundred and eleven more had opened their doors to the deserted and impoverished mentally ill. - Victoria Cain, Ph.D. Artist Statement I am fascinated by the fierceness of American 19th century women pioneers and crusaders, including Harriet Tubman, Dorothea Dix, Loreta Velazquez, Lydia Maria Child, Edmonia Lewis, Harriet Hosmer and many others. In the case of Dorothea Dix, her personal suffering and dedication to improving the lives of the ‘indigent insane’ also dovetails with my interest in diagnosis, treatment and care for today’s underserved mentally ill. For this piece, I filmed, photographed and recorded sound around Dix’ grave over two years and four seasons; pored over many books, articles, letters, photographs and archival materials about her life and times; and agonized over how to shape this story in a meaningful way in five minutes. It was a pleasure directing actor Kathryn Howell in her voice performance of Dix’ legendary 1843 “Memorial to The Massachusetts Legislature”. In fact, due to gender norms of the time, Dix did not deliver the speech herself. A man had to read it for her. However, after reading about and thinking about Dix for two years, it was clear to me that the original, passionate, inspiring and searing monologue in this piece had to be represented by none other than Dorothea Dix. - Roberto Mighty Credits for this Piece Writer Director Cinematographer Editor Roberto Mighty, MFA Artist-in-Residence Mount Auburn Cemetery Voice of Dorothea Dix Kathryn G. Howell Recorded and Edited at Celestial Media Studios Humanities Scholar Victoria Cain, Ph.D. Music Submerging Green, Podington Bear Fluorescence, Podington Bear Collection: Free Music Archive Memorial To The Legislature of Massachusetts Dorothea L. Dix 1843 Collection: Disability History Museum Portrait image of Dorothea Dix Samuel Broadbent, circa 1850 - 1855 Collection: The Boston Atheneum Reproduction: Wikimedia Commons Portrait Image of Dorothea Dix United States Library of Congress Prints and Photographs division Reproduction: Wikimedia Commons Map of Massachusetts Anthony Finley 1827 Collection: Geographicus Rare Antique Maps Reproduction: Wikimedia Commons Epilogue quote Mass Humanities massmoments.org Background Research The Universalist Manual, Menzies Rayner, 1848 American Journal Of Public Health Hathi Trust Digital Library *Description from Wikipedia © Roberto Mighty 2016 earthdotsky.com

Dorothea Dix, famed 19th-century mental health reformer, is interred at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, MA, a National Historic Landmark. Artist-in-Residence Roberto Mighty chose Dix as one of the historical figures featured in his "earth.sky" multimedia installation and online interactive experience. In this backgrounder video, historian Victoria Cain gives a brief introduction to the extraordinary work of Ms. Dix. Research for this program was funded in part by a grant from Mass Humanities. "Dorothea Dix (1802-1887) belonged to a generation of straight-backed New England women whose religious faith inspired them to expose and battle social injustice. Teaching Sunday School in an East Cambridge prison, the 38-year-old Dix was sickened by what she found: damaged children, violent criminals and half-clothed patients from the overcrowded state mental hospital crowded together, shaking in the March chill. Moral outrage transformed the timid teacher into a humanitarian crusader. Over the next decade, she travelled across the United States and Europe, reporting on the appalling conditions of jails and asylums, pressuring politicians, presidents and Pope Pius IX for kinder, gentler homes devoted specifically to the care of the incurably insane. When Dix turned her attention to the issue, in the early 1840s, the United States possessed 12 public asylums for the insane poor; thanks in part to Dix’s relentless lobbying, by the time she died, a hundred and eleven more had opened their doors to the deserted and impoverished mentally ill." - Victoria Cain, Ph.D. For more information: earthdotsky.com mountauburncemetery.com ©2016 R. Mighty - all rights reserved -