Wenn ich muss, dann muss ich

Intervention, Performances, Text(s); University of applied Arts, Vienna
Support: Tinka Legvart; 2016-2017

The ongoing reduction and privatization of public toilets is part of an overall commercialization of public space, affecting some groups more than others: e.g. people with health issues, elderly or homeless people. Moreover the infrastructure of public toilets in Vienna disadvantages women who have to pay at sites where men can ‚urinate freely‘. The moment of solidarity within this body necessity - we all have to do it - is diminished. Wenn ich muss, dann muss ich opens up discussion about the challenges to this solidarity and the publicity of city toilets. A regulary column in the Viennese streets newspaper Augustin (exmaple in german) as well as interventions and performances on various toilet sites worked together in critically investigating public toilets as focal points of power relations.

In exchange for a free ‚visit‘ in normally feepaying toilets, users participated in an ongoing written exchange in toilets with the subsequent users. Over 165 snippets of conversations worked then as basis for 5 texts and performances on public toilets.

Exhibitions:
Focus exhibition University of applied Arts, Vienna, AT, 2016
Talk at This Human World Film Festival, 2016