Public toilet = art exhibition
By Porcospino
@Porcospino (31366)
Denmark
June 10, 2011 2:11pm CST
At the moment there is a very unusual art exhibition in my country. The exhibition is a public toilet. The artist invites the people who visit the exhibtion to pee on the floor and he hopes that the entire floor will be covered in pee after a while! He wanted to create an exhibition that smells like a public toilet. He thinks that art has to be more than a visual experience and he wants people to use other senses like the sense of smell.
What do you think about his unusual idea?
4 people like this
11 responses
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
10 Jun 11
I can agree with the concept or theory or whatever you want to call it that art work does not only mean visual expression. I believe that art work can stimulate your other senses as well. However, the choice of "art" here is definitely not advisable, in my opinion. I mean, even if one were to think this particular concept was "good art", then all they would have to do is to visit a free public restroom and whenever they wanted to enjoy this sort of "art", which would make it an easily attainable commodity and thus the value of the "art work" would decrease substantially.
3 people like this
@purplealabaster (22094)
• United States
11 Jun 11
So you are saying that the people that attend an inaugural of an exhibition are too "upper class" to use a public restroom and yet they not only think this "artwork" is revolutionary but also will engage in public exposure (literally) to add their "contribution" to the artwork?
If they will buy that, then I have this ocean-front property in Arizona that they might be interested in or maybe they would prefer to have the Royal gold-plated bridge in Utah ... the latter can be shipped to whatever country they like as long as they are willing to pay the shipping costs.
If they will buy that, then I have this ocean-front property in Arizona that they might be interested in or maybe they would prefer to have the Royal gold-plated bridge in Utah ... the latter can be shipped to whatever country they like as long as they are willing to pay the shipping costs.2 people like this
@topffer (42156)
• France
11 Jun 11
The speech of the artist, reproduced in the exhibition booklet, is the only think that matters and gives an artistic value to this "piece of art". Fortunately all contemporary artists are not like this one, but a true artist has difficulties today to sell his art if he is not able to promote it with a foggy speech. If you can sell an ocean-front property in Arizona, you can certainly become a "great" contemporary artist, purple.
2 people like this
@topffer (42156)
• France
10 Jun 11
A free public restroom is probably an unusual experiment for the public you see at the inaugural of an exhibition
. And I believe the artist made a speech to explain his revolutionary creation and invited the auditors to participate with their bladder
.
. And I believe the artist made a speech to explain his revolutionary creation and invited the auditors to participate with their bladder.2 people like this
@stary1 (6612)
• United States
10 Jun 11
This is what bothers me about 'respect everything' thinkers. They try to convince everyone anything goes and everything is OK as long as you call it art. Kind of reminds me of the Emperor has no Clothes story.
Intimidating others by trying to convince them they are not open minded through this type of trash is just wrong in my opinion. I hope people call this for what it is. 
2 people like this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
11 Jun 11
The artist probably thinks that he has created a real masterpiece, but I don't think that he will get a lot of admirers. Some people might visit the exhibtion out of curiosity, but I would imagine that most people would find the idea disgusting. Yes, some people think that anything is okay as long as they call it art. I remember from guy from my country who killed some puppies and called it art, I think that was horrible thing to do and it doesn't have anything to do with art...
Oh how sad..killing puppies. I do wonder how some people can do things like that and not feel sorrow. I know some just want to 'keep the peace' and are fearful of speaking up, but in my opinion we have to speak up to hold standards high.
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
13 Jun 11
It also sounds like a crazy idea to me and I find it hard to understand the intention behind that kind of exhibtion. The smell of urine isn't pleasant and all and I don't see the point in an exhibion where the focus is the smell of urine. I think it is fine that the artist wants to create something different and it fine that he wants to include other senses than the sense of sight, but I would have chosen something else instead of the smell of pee.
@myfb2009 (8296)
• Malaysia
11 Jun 11
I think i don't have the gut to visit this kind of art exhibition. Because i can't stand to smell of public toilet. It is really disgusting. Besides that, it is really unhealthy to smell the pee smell for a long time. I think this artist had gone out of his mind to create that kind of exhibition.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
11 Jun 11
I can't stand the smell of public toilets eithers. If I have to use one of them I sometimes cover my nose to avoid the smell so the idea of visiting an exhibition where the purpose is the smell of urine doesn't seem like an attractive idea to me. The exhibtion just opened so I don't how many people are going to show up, I can't imagine that he will get a lot of visitors, but I don't know. The newspapers are writing about the exhibtion and some people might get curious and decide to visit the exhibition.
@myfb2009 (8296)
• Malaysia
13 Jun 11
Yes, maybe only those who are curious type of people will show in his exhibition. Same like you, whenever i need to use the stink public toilet, i will cover my nose with a piece of tissue paper. I can't stand the smell of urine too much because it can makes me loss appetite....
1 person likes this
@Masihi (4413)
• Canada
10 Jun 11
Holy crap, is this artist insane or what??? This is utterly disgusting and hazardous to the health, just think of this lovely bacteria culture that's growing and can make people sick! Do you have a link to this? I'm curious of reading this myself.
2 people like this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
10 Jun 11
The artist's name is Pablo Bronstein and you can read a bit about him here: http://www.kunsthalcharlottenborg.dk/exhibition/view/75?lang=eng There is a much better and longer article on another site, but unfortuneately it is in Danish.
When I read the article I had the same thoughts as you and I wonder if it was a joke or something like that, but it is a true story. The exhibition is not close to my home, but it doesn't sound like something that I would like to visit. I think it is a disgusting idea to walk around in room full of pee 
1 person likes this
@frogzy (84)
• India
11 Jun 11
There is no doubt that his 'idea' is entirely hazardous to health and public. Anyone who have a good knowledge must not accept it.
But my doubt is, why governments or healthcare departments allow these kind of activities? (I do not mean any governments/departments/officials.) Caring people's live is their duty.
Such foolish activities not only tamper some people's live, but it hurts the nature and the whole world. We can't hide it.
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
13 Jun 11
The artist asked the health authorities in my country for permission before he created the exhibition and he got the permission. I don't know why they chose to give him the permission, and I was surpriced to hear that they accepted the idea. They went through a lot of trouble in order to protect the floor, but it still sounds disgusting to me.
@pumpkinjam (8539)
• United Kingdom
11 Jun 11
No, sorry, art IS a visual experience and expression. That's what it is. Peeing on the floor of a public toilet in no way could possibly be considered art, it's just disgusting. How can he even be allowed to do that? And have people actually "contributed"? Because if they have then they are as sick as the one who calls himself an artist. And, even if you want to call it art, he can't call himself an artist because someone else is doing the actual "creating" for him. This bloke has just stuck a public toilet in an exhibition and is quite literally taking the "p".
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
13 Jun 11
I think that art can be more than a visual experience, I have seen exbitions where the visitors had to use their sense of hearing and their sense of touch, those exhibitions are not as common as visual expressions of art, but they exist. I think it is fine to express yourself in alternative ways, but a floor covered in pee isn't art in my opinion, it is disgusting. I don't know if any of the vistors have participated. Exhibionists might like the idea, but I think that most people would find the idea disgusting.
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
11 Jun 11
You are the first person in this discussion who have said that you don't think that it is a bad idea, and I am curious to know your thoughts about the artist and the exhibtion. What do you like about the idea?
@cream97 (29087)
• United States
11 Jun 11
Hi. Porcospino. I think that this artist has an really unusual idea. I think that this is very disgusting to have. What makes him figure that this would be such a great idea? I mean, it isn't. All that this will do, is make many people uncomfortable with urinating all over the floor and they also will be privately exposed to the public in this process too! What is he really thinking? This has got to be the silliet scientific idea that I have ever heard of!
This has got to be the silliet scientific idea that I have ever heard of!1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
11 Jun 11
I think that the idea of a room covered in urine is disgusting, but that is not the only thing. He also expects the visitors to empty their bladder in public while other people are watching 
My first thought was: "Does he actually expect people to do that?" I think that most people would feel uncomfortable in that situation. I read an article about this artist in the newspaper and the journalist asked the leader of the museum of demonstrate the purpose of the exhibition in front of the camera, but he refused, and I think that most of the visitors would do the same thing.
My first thought was: "Does he actually expect people to do that?" I think that most people would feel uncomfortable in that situation. I read an article about this artist in the newspaper and the journalist asked the leader of the museum of demonstrate the purpose of the exhibition in front of the camera, but he refused, and I think that most of the visitors would do the same thing.
@aisoice (272)
• Indonesia
16 Jun 11
hi Porcospino,
I think this is one form of campaign of the importance of cleanliness, and still according to my thinking, the person who issued the idea is a brilliant man.
Maybe people would not think to get there.
Hopefully with this idea can be directly touching the human conscience in order to further understand the importance of cleanliness.
1 person likes this
@januarykayc (35)
• Philippines
11 Jun 11
I think that's disgusting. some artist are really loose on the head sometimes. haha how can someone find beauty and appreciation in something that will not make you wanna breathe? how'd the exhibition go though? was he successful?
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
13 Jun 11
I also find it hard to understand why he decided to use such an unpleasant smell. If you really wanted to experience that kind of smell, it would be easier and cheaper to visit one of the existing public toilets. They just opened the exhibition a few days ago, so I don't know many people are going to visit it. I don't think that an exhibtion like that will attract a lot of people, but I could be wrong, I guess we will have to wait and see what happens.
