{"id":159989,"date":"2022-02-01T13:16:16","date_gmt":"2022-02-01T13:16:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/?p=159989"},"modified":"2022-02-01T13:16:16","modified_gmt":"2022-02-01T13:16:16","slug":"rankin-curates-wateraids-toilet-art-pop-up-exhibition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/latest\/photo-news\/rankin-curates-wateraids-toilet-art-pop-up-exhibition\/","title":{"rendered":"Rankin curates WaterAid’s ‘toilet art’ pop-up exhibition"},"content":{"rendered":"

Photographer Rankin (pictured above) has curated a new pop-up exhibition of unique toilet seats<\/strong>, created by a mixture of artists, fashion designers and celebrities, which will be on show at a free-to-enter exhibition at London Southbank’s Oxo Gallery from 4\u20136 February 2022 <\/strong>to highlight the inaccessibility of toilets to 1.7 billion people around the world<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n

The ‘Best Seat in the House for WaterAid’ exhibition<\/strong> is part of a collaborative project between WaterAid and the 25 people who have designed toilets include photographer Martin Parr<\/strong>,\u00a0 TV presenter and comedian Harry Hill<\/strong>, designer Pam Hogg<\/strong>, designer Ozwald Boateng<\/strong>, DJ and singer Boy George<\/strong> and fashion legend Dame Zandra Rhodes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n

The artworks – which include a golden throne, punk art, seats decorated in beautiful fabric and a lucky toilet seat – will be displayed as museum pieces. One in five people globally have no decent toilet at home<\/strong>, compromising their safety, dignity, and health, with 800 children dying every day from diarrhoeal diseases caused by dirty water and poor sanitation<\/strong>. A third of schools lack these vital facilities, so millions of girls stay at home during their period, holding them back from fulfilling their potential.<\/p>\n\n

Rankin <\/strong>explained, ‘It\u2019s easy for us to take toilets for granted; we just assume everyone has one. But one in five people don\u2019t have this basic human right \u2013 that\u2019s an extraordinary figure. When travelling with work, I\u2019ve seen first-hand how difficult it is for people to live without a toilet, and the impact it has on their health, education, dignity and safety. The toilet really is the \u2018Best Seat in the House\u2019, and that\u2019s what we want to show through this campaign. Toilets can make us feel a little uncomfortable. Using the toilet seat as a canvas is an accessible and engaging way to put the spotlight on toilets and get people talking about them. The designs are fun but carry an important message \u2013 that everyone everywhere needs a decent toilet. And by supporting WaterAid, we can help get toilets into schools around the world so children can build a better future.’<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t

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Photographer Martin Parr (above) has designed one of the toilets in the pop-up exhibition. Martin Parr Collection. UNITED ARAB EMIRATES. Dubai. Autoportrait. 2007.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\t\t

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Photographer Martin Parr’s toilet seat design for the WaterAid ‘Best Seat in the House’ campaign. Image: \u00a9 RANKIN\/WaterAid<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n

As part of WaterAid\u2019s Thirst for Knowledge<\/em> appeal this winter, the international charity is helping get toilets and clean water to communities in Nepal and many more around the world, helping prevent the spread of deadly diseases, improve education, and transform lives. The UK government will match public donations made by 15 February 2022 up to \u00a32 million<\/strong>, making double the difference in schools and communities in Nepal, enabling girls to thrive.<\/p>\n\n

Fashion and textile designer Dame\u00a0Zandra\u00a0Rhodes <\/strong>created an embroidered seat and explained, ‘A working toilet should be a basic human right for everyone, but almost two billion people around the world don\u2019t have access to something so important. I have turned a conventional item into a piece of art. One of my archive prints \u2018Chinese Water Circles\u2019 can be seen printed onto silk organza and draped over the seat to emulate water. It has created perfect waves and golden swirls, to highlight that a toilet and access to water is, unfortunately, in some countries, still a luxury.’\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t

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Fashion designer Dame Zandra Rhodes<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\t\t

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Dame Zandra Rhodes’ toilet seat design features one of her archive prints \u2018Chinese Water Circles\u2019 on silk, draped over the seat to emulate water. Image: \u00a9 RANKIN\/WaterAid<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n

Comedian and TV presenter Harry\u00a0Hill called his the lucky toilet seat<\/strong>, listing things this special seat can protect you from, including ghosts and junk mail. He said, ‘Ah the great British tradition of toilet humour! But toilets, I have discovered, thanks to this collaboration with WaterAid, are a serious business. One in five people around the world does not have a decent toilet at home, which puts their health and safety at risk<\/strong>. <\/em>That\u2019s where the idea of toilets being lucky items came from, which inspired my toilet seat design. Plus the seat kind of reminded me of a horse shoe. They may not quite be able to ward off devils, ghosts and junk-mail, as I suggest in my design, but if they can protect people from disease and keep kids in school, then they are the “Best Seat in the House” in my book.’<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t

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Comedian and TV presenter Harry Hill is involved in the ‘Best Seat in the House’ WaterAid campaign<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\t\t

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Harry Hill’s toilet seat design for WaterAid. Image: \u00a9 RANKIN\/WaterAid<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n

Inside the seat made by singer and DJ Boy\u00a0George are the words \u2018Piss and Love\u2019<\/strong>. He revealed, ‘I feel my art, my inspiration and my reason for doing anything is always about emotion. Even if I\u2019m doing something for a charity, there has to be an element of humour and optimism in the work. <\/em>My toilet seat is a punk throne of defiance<\/strong>. The bladder is in some quarters considered the fountain of truth. Spiritual types will tell you that if you have issues with your bladder, you\u2019re not speaking the truth. I love this concept. A lot of serious thinking can be done on the throne.’<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t

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DJ and singer Boy George. Portrait by Dean Stockings<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\t\t

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Boy George’s toilet seat design includes the message ‘Piss and Love’ on the seat. Image: \u00a9 RANKIN\/WaterAid<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n

The full line-up of artists who have contributed to the \u2018Best Seat in the House\u2019 WaterAid campaign is Bambi, Boy George, Carrie Reichardt, Charlotte Colbert, Chila Burman, Daisy Collingridge, George Morton-Clark, Gina Soden, Harry Hill, Haseebah Ali, Hayden Kays, Jessica Albarn, Joe Sweeney, Laila Majid, Liaqat Rasul, Martin Parr, Nettie Wakefield, Ozwald Boateng, Pam Hogg, Pure Evil, Roo Dhissou, Seema Mattu, Soozy Lipsey, Val Garland and Dame Zandra Rhodes.<\/p>\n\n

Tim Wainwright, Chief Executive at WaterAid, said<\/strong>, ‘A lack of toilets traps whole communities in poverty, affecting people\u2019s health, safety and dignity. When there are no toilets in schools, girls often skip class during their period or drop out altogether when they reach puberty, holding them back from fulfilling their potential. <\/em>This exhibition is sharing the message that toilets save lives and are raising money to help get clean water and toilets to schools and communities around the world<\/strong>. These vital facilities can help quench every girl\u2019s thirst for learning so they can build a better future. We are also delighted that the UK Government is matching public donations this winter, helping make double the difference.’<\/em><\/p>\n\n