Do you know the incident of “Richard Mutt”?
It started in April 1917, when a work signed Richard Mutt was sent to an art exhibition in New York, the U.S, and he was one of a judge in there.
This exhibition was open for any artists if paying a fee.
However, this work was rejected.
Later, because of protesting, he canceled the exhibition of paintings that were going to exhibit under another name, and resigned the judge too.
“He” is Marcel Duchamp.
If you knew him, you would first think of this work “Fountain” as his masterpiece.
In fact, this work is regarded by the art historians and theorists of the avant-garde as a major landmark in 20th century.
If you are more or less interested in Marcel Duchamp, there are two places where you may like.
One in Delhi of India and the other in Kitakyushu of Japan.
Both are the museums focused on “toilets”.
There is a space where you can relive the “challenge to the art that stays high” that Duchamp attempted.
The former is Sulabh International Museum of Toilets.
It was founded by the NGO of Sulabh International.
It has strong enlightening implications for the purpose of popularizing toilets in India, improving the status of toilet cleaners and the working environment.
However, there is also a copy of the throne with a toilet bowl used by Louis XIV of France, and it seems that we can trace the history of toilets in the world with hygiene and sanitation.
The latter is TOTO museum, that is run by TOTO, that is one of the Japanese private company.
Therefore, it may be said that it is “History of TOTO”, but the company is a leading company of the hand basin area in Japan.
And it is said that Japanese about the area, like the basin, sink and so on, is one of the most advanced of the world.
So it may be interesting to see how Japanese technology is applied to the world.
After about 100 years, the feeling of resistance to toilet bowls may be changed.
Because specialized in places to release the desire to defecate had become up to museums.
When Duchamp sent “Fountain”, there was almost disgust around the work.
But behind that, blood was always flowing in our human body.
In addition, practical and physiological phenomena is always lying within your beauty and ugliness as well.
So it may be application about “the bowls”.
That would mean life like a “Fountain” springs up.
Leave a Reply