Peeple; Urine Induced Art By Alex Schweder & Dieter Janssen

A collaboration between artists Alex Schweder and Dieter Janssen yielded both an art installation of heat-sensitive urinal decals and a board book called Peeple.



In the designers' words "Peeple are playthings for peetime. They are heat sensitive decals with two layers installed on the interiors of upright urinals. When heated by urine, the top layer disappears thereby revealing the characters in their underclothes."

The three part project, and accompanying board book, introduces The Joneses, a betrothed couple (Judy and Brett) and Stars and Stripes, three soldiers named Kyle, Rick and Tim respectively. All fully clothed initially, then, as the action unfolds, they all find themselves installed in urinals in various states of urine-induced undress.






The narrative inherent in this unveiling explores the disjunction between a person's external presentation of him or herself and their private lives.





The campy texts and playful images tell a light-hearted tale of the humorous and often treacherous terrain that must be crossed between public and private identity.

This work is presented as a limited edition book in which three narratives unfold using various characters. This small thick board book's materiality alludes to child like play and humor while difficult subject matter is explored. It is hard to find, but below are some links to used and new ones.

Alex Schweder's Peeple: a Three Part Installation - The Joneses, Betrothed & Stars and Stripes.

Behaviour Press Inc., 2002. Glossy yellow boards; yellow cloth spine; 22 pp.; pages are thick boards; Profusely illustrated in color; Printed in an edition of 500.

You can buy Alex Schweder's PEEPLE used from Amazon (without the decals).
Or here from Mullen books
Or here from Art Metropole.
Or here from CoCA.
Or here at Printed Matter.

Funky Find Of The Week: 'Kisses' Urinal

Photo: Jeroen Voolstra and Coen Dekkers

Design: Meike van Schijndel for Bathroom Mania.

'Kisses!' is the first Bathroom Mania! product that is for sale! The urinal is engineered to European standards; please review the specifications to ensure the urinal can be installed at your location.

Two variants are available: a top- and a wall-inlet. Check to see which variant meets your wishes best.

Worldwide delivery has started and the first owners all say: Kisses looks fantastic!
Material: Ceramic.
Colours: Red, White and Salmon.
Dimensions: +/- 380x415x600mm (wxdxh)
Inlet: EU 35mm, back- and top inlet available.
Outlet: 50mm, outlet will be inside the urinal and can be connected to both a back- as well as a bottom-siphon.

Buy it here.

Talk About Pissing on Religion: China Unveils World's Largest Bathroom

above: Virgin Mary Themed Urinals

Anyone who has traveled to the Middle Kingdom would agree that the country's public restroom facilities leave a lot to be desired. Well, in Chongqing, a city of 31 million people in south-central China, they've had enough. Not content with the rudimentary squat units found everywhere in China, the city has pursued some innovative ideas that are meant to make the experience not just easier, but a little more fun.

First came round, open air urinals on the city's infamous "Foreigners Street," featuring tiny waist screens that left little to the imaginations of passers-by (below):



Then came news of outdoor sinks, pictured below, that made the hand-washing experience, um, different.



Now comes news that the city has opened the world's largest restroom. The four-story, 1,000-stall facility features TVs, a soothing soundtrack piped throughout, crocodile- and Virgin Mary-themed urinals, and stalls with no roofs for those who prefer to relieve themselves al fresco. Says a local government official:

"We are spreading toilet culture.... After they use the bathroom [people] will be very, very happy."

You can't argue with that.