Rest Room
Hannah Song
A public toilet has always been a political space. Restrooms serve sanitary functions but also are a place where social interactions happen behind closed doors. They have historically operated as spaces of coded encounter. At a time when homosexual activities were criminalized, gay men cruised in search of connection under conditions of anonymity.
Rest Room is a collection of artist’s books and prints made with disposable bathroom paper products. A zine navigates the conflicting private versus public nature of restrooms. Everyday objects like toilet paper, paper towels, and toilet cover sheets are used to challenge today's structure of public restrooms, which is not innate but rather constructed over time. The fragility of paper product materials is juxtaposed with the complex rules and concepts of gender and sex.
While the rise of gender-neutral restrooms signals a step towards inclusivity, there remains a widespread lack of understanding around why such access is essential for trans people, disabled people, caregivers, and others whose needs fall outside questionable norms. This project argues for access to restrooms, where anyone can simply pee and take a big old dump.