About The public toilet project
This project seeks to explore, understand and highlight
the role of these spaces
Public toilets are often used and yet given little consideration.
These private spaces in public places are designed for activities such as going to the toilet and cleaning our hands, yet often provide a more important role: a few seconds of alone-time, a space for reflection or perhaps other, less salubrious acts.
In a world where we leave a digital footprint with almost every breath, how do these public spaces (where no accountability is in place and people can 'speak' freely) enable a different kind of expression? And how might this differ from place to place all over the world?
The Public Toilet was designed to explore these themes.
I am interested in what people write, how they connect through the experience and what this reveals about issues of censorship (would I censor the 'data' or leave the community to do that?) as well as the psychology of these private places and also how they are used and interacted with practically.
Issues such as censorship and freedom of speech are interwoven into this project.
My aim in the future is to take this concept to different geographical locations around the world and compare and contrast the data over various time periods.
the role of these spaces
Public toilets are often used and yet given little consideration.
These private spaces in public places are designed for activities such as going to the toilet and cleaning our hands, yet often provide a more important role: a few seconds of alone-time, a space for reflection or perhaps other, less salubrious acts.
In a world where we leave a digital footprint with almost every breath, how do these public spaces (where no accountability is in place and people can 'speak' freely) enable a different kind of expression? And how might this differ from place to place all over the world?
The Public Toilet was designed to explore these themes.
I am interested in what people write, how they connect through the experience and what this reveals about issues of censorship (would I censor the 'data' or leave the community to do that?) as well as the psychology of these private places and also how they are used and interacted with practically.
Issues such as censorship and freedom of speech are interwoven into this project.
My aim in the future is to take this concept to different geographical locations around the world and compare and contrast the data over various time periods.
Method
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I placed paper on the back of various public toilet doors and a pot of pens, pencils and other art materials to see how people would react to them in different environments. 
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I took people's comments as 'data' and grouped and analysed it - creating new artworks based on these groupings.
Through the project I monitored the toilet doors closely and watched and recorded the written conversations as they emerged and grew on the paper.
Through the project I monitored the toilet doors closely and watched and recorded the written conversations as they emerged and grew on the paper.
