During week 8’s mid-term, I presented my idea of different emotions being evoked while being in the toilet. Before getting approval for the space (a handicap toilet on the 2nd level of ADM), I had wanted to do something that made somebody uncomfortable while they were in the toilet. However, given the limitations that I was only allowed to use the toilet for a few hours within the day itself, I was rather restricted with what I could set up, and I was also concerned about the level of hygiene if I had to make people interact with things within the toilet. I decided to make use of the walls instead, since they were probably more acceptable than using the toilet bowl itself, or the floor.

While thinking up of ideas, I thought about using images to create small windows to an “outside world” which might counter how a toilet is used, since most of the time they are meant to be a private space. I also wanted to look into how different imagery could make a person think differently, and evoke different emotions, resulting in various windows on every wall that depicted different scenes, something I’ve learnt from Yi Fu Tuan’s Space and Place, when he talks about direction.

I made a variety of different settings, planned beforehand, and then pasted them across the walls. The next few images will be what the final product looked like.

Comments I have received during the presentation that I took into consideration to improve the next part of the project:

• There were too many different things going on – so rather than create an experience where each wall evoked an emotion, it just made people confused and overwhelmed instead.
• To concentrate on one variable of wanting to make someone “uncomfortable” rather than a variety of other emotions.
• To use fake cameras to instill the sense of vulnerability.
• To use spotlights and sensors (when someone sits down they activate the lights, think of lights, cameras, action).
• To have a webcam show feed of part of the toilet, showcased on the outside.
• To have the participant’s every move narrated.