Toilet Reading
Toilet Reading
Tissue, readymade object
2021
Having just moved to London, during this time of quarantine, we chose to listen to each person's story in the living room as a start to getting to know each other. Someone told stories about his sexual orientation and lovers. When it was my turn, I repeated the story I had told the story about how I found out my ex-partner had cheated on me, and as I told it I described myself as a great detective, how I found him hanging out with other girls in live house photos taken by photographers on the internet.
We were so deep into the story, tugging at the emotions together, that we couldn't tell if we were hearing about bizarre toilet readings or real experiences. Toilet reading refers to private stories sent out by people on social media, strangely short and personal stories that are perfect for reading while on the toilet. In my opinion toilet reading is more about the composition of a complete story not only by the author but also by the viewer, each person is declaring that they are retelling a true story, not rewriting by memory or completely fictionalising it, it based on trust between the teller and the viewer.
In this work I have chosen to present the story in a setting like reading a toilet book, where the toilet paper represents vulnerability and the sensory enjoyment of the story as soon as it is read. I invited my flatmates to write some private stories with me on the toilet paper, using different textures and expressions, and the viewer is free to tear off the paper and take it away with them, enjoying the pleasure of briefly reading intimate stories, whether they are true or not.