While many might not find them particularly thrilling, a recent auction has demonstrated that toilet seats can indeed be a blend of necessity and throne design, all for a noble cause that underscores the importance of an item we often take for granted. Several renowned artists and celebrities, including Culture Club's Boy George, fashion designers Dame Zandra Rhodes and Pam Hogg, and comedian Harry Hill, have crafted unique toilet seat designs that will be auctioned off to benefit WaterAid, an international non-governmental organization dedicated to water, sanitation, and hygiene.
The 'Best In The House' art collection, featuring designs that range from playful puns to opulent golden thrones, will be showcased at the British Art Fair at London's Saatchi Gallery this month. This initiative was born from a partnership between WaterAid and photographer Rankin, whose agency captured the collection to raise awareness about the global sanitation crisis. Boy George's design prominently displays the words 'piss and love,' while Harry Hill's creation includes a horse within a horseshoe, inscribed with 'lucky toilet seat.'
Boy George commented, 'Whether you're royal or a rocker, toilets are a great equalizer because everyone has to use one. A lot of serious thinking can be done on the throne, but can you imagine life without your toilet? That's the reality for one in five people worldwide.' He further added, 'I love the idea of reimagining the toilet as a luxury item, and I had a lot of fun designing my own 'Best Seat In The House' to emphasize the significance of having decent toilets.' Describing his design, the singer noted, 'My seat is a 'punk throne' of defiance, with a cheeky message inside, as I like to infuse humor and optimism into my art. It's fantastic to see my creation being auctioned for WaterAid to help more people gain this basic right.'
Tim Wainwright, UK chief executive of WaterAid, stated, 'These fun and striking toilet seat designs are an excellent way to bring toilets into the conversation and convey the message that everyone, everywhere should have access to a decent toilet. It's easy to take toilets for granted, but together with clean water and good hygiene, they can save lives.' Wainwright further emphasized, 'Having decent toilets can transform entire communities, helping to stop the spread of disease, keeping girls in school, and improving people's safety and dignity. All proceeds from the auction will support providing clean water, toilets, and good hygiene to schools and communities worldwide, helping to change more lives for the better.'
The auctioned creations will be available for bidding from today until 29 September online at Givergy, and from 26 September at the British Art Fair at the Saatchi Gallery.
