A Wroclaw artist has taken over 1,000 photographs of city toilets: not just any, of course, but those that are autonomous objects, embedded in urban architecture and infrastructure. These works have spawned an innovative undertaking of creating the very first Wroclaw guidebook to public toilets.
How was this idea born? "It all started by chance, with jokes about toilets and this urgent need that comes over you all of a sudden, right in the street. The somewhat subtle humour was then replaced with complete seriousness as we have started a quest for public toilets, both those in operation and those "inactive". Not only did it turn out that there were quite a few of them, but we noticed that there were true architectural gems as well. And what is unbelievable, and somewhat surrealist for someone who has never taken a second glance at them, is that they have a soul," explains the artist Tomek Żarnecki who is currently working on this "unconventional" toilet guidebook with Gosia Kulik originally from Katowice but who has recently moved to Wrocław. "The fruit of this research and documentation of each discovered public convenience turned into an album, which was then enriched with maps, routes, pictograms and information," he added.
Of the latter, there are quite a few; however, this knowledge can only be verified "first hand" through the most practical of ways. There is no point in browsing the Internet for opening hours and the cost of the nearest "loo", especially when you are caught short. Also, many disused, historical toilets have a lush past. Tomek and Gosia's reference will also share some intimate information on Wroclaw's contemporary fashionable places, which are in fact former privies that have undergone a metamorphosis.
"These changes are also a tale of a change in morality, on the re-shaping of expectations towards architecture. However, the physiological needs, as we know, remain the same," says Tomek Żarnecki.
In search of an "investor"
As is always with niche enterprises, financial support is needed for the guide to serve the needs of newcomers to Wroclaw.
"Perhaps our work might interest one of Wroclaw's organisations – a foundation or a society. Gosia's visual concept and typography for the future publication is almost ready. One might say that the most apt form for it is to be published on toilet paper, but I'm afraid this is not how we imagined it," Żarnecki laughs.
The next "toilet dream" of the artistic duo is to utilise both active and inactive public toilets as art exhibition space, as this may evoke numerous reflections.
Tomek's previous artistic enterprise was an exhibition entitled "Have a Word". Adverts with this message were posted at bus stops and lampposts along with his phone number. Tomek received various text messages and many phone calls. The most interesting recordings and text messages were then presented at last year's "Underwater Wroclaw" (Podwodny Wrocław) Festival. Unfortunately, the exhibition was available only for one day, as the audience abused the artist's trust and destroyed a number of the exhibits, thus deconstructing the presentation.
(bach)
