TOYA-L'ET (2018)

This collection of objects relates to an ancient, unknown civilization in Central America that worshipped their leader for giving them the toilet. The ritual is mostly inferred by ancient drawings found near the site where these objects were uncovered, as well as from the etchings on the ceramics themselves. The leader of the ancient civilization was given an idea by their River God in a dream for this revolutionary device that would solve the sanitary issues of the city. Therefore, the basis around the ritual is symbolic of giving thanks to the River God and the Leader for the creation of the toilet. Water is collected from the river, and poured into a vessel with the Leader’s face on it as an offering and to represent the ideas that the River God gave the Leader in the dream. A smaller vessel is then used to take water from the vessel to flush the toilet. A hand basin is used to wash the hands after the ritual is performed as the final cleansing part of the ritual.

Project developed at the Reykjavik School of Visual Arts (Myndlistaskólinn í Reykjavík).