RUSSIA: Russian provincial town of Izhevsk opens an art museum in its only public toilet
Record ID:
344232
RUSSIA: Russian provincial town of Izhevsk opens an art museum in its only public toilet
- Title: RUSSIA: Russian provincial town of Izhevsk opens an art museum in its only public toilet
- Date: 21st August 2012
- Summary: IZHEVSK, RUSSIA (AUGUST 19, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TOP VIEWS OF IZHEVSK PEOPLE WALKING ON CENTRAL STREET VIEW OF IZHEVSK SINKS IN PUBLIC TOILET TOILET CUBICLES PANORAMA FROM URINALS TO PAINTINGS TOILET CUSTOMER LOOKING AT PAINTINGS, TAKING PICTURE (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) DEPUTY HEAD OF ART GALLERY GALINA TARANUKHA, SAYING: "As the public toilet is on the premises of our gallery, we are located in the same building, so it's our toilet. We have long had this idea and finally we put this into practice." URINALS AND PAINTINGS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) DEPUTY HEAD OF ART GALLERY GALINA TARANUKHA, SAYING: "Paintings by Sergei Orlov are exhibited here. He is an artist who is well-known in Izhevsk. His exhibitions have been held in Russia and abroad. We can even say he's one of the very well-known artists in Russian provinces. It's great that his works open all this, that he gives a push to this new and unusual art space." NOTE TO TOILET CUSTOMERS READING IN RUSSIAN 'DO NOT STAND IN BOOTS ON TOILET BOWL!' TOILET MUSEUM PAINTING ARTIST SERGEI ORLOV WALKING IN TOILET MUSEUM TOILET VISITOR WALKING PAST PAINTINGS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) ARTIST SERGEI ORLOV, SAYING: "It was interesting to make it in a toilet to see how this cultural layer will look in a toilet. To combine those two processes. We found it interesting to bring them together." VARIOUS OF TOILET VISITOR WALKING, LOOKING AT PAINTINGS PAINTING VARIOUS OF TOILET VISITOR WALKING, LOOKING AT PAINTINGS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) TOILET VISITOR TATYANA, SAYING: "I got aesthetic satisfaction. So I myself got full with something else too." VARIOUS OF PAINTINGS IN TOILET MUSEUM
- Embargoed: 5th September 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Russian Federation
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVA9UYUTM8DCJHPZ6A6AUZIFALZ5
- Story Text: The only public toilet in the Russian provincial town of Izhevsk is now doubling as an art gallery. "Toilet Museum" was opened at the town's central square on Sunday (August 19).
The initiative, with a declared aim of educating local residents, received a full support of the mayor's office.
"As the public toilet is on the premises of our gallery, we are located in the same building, so it's our toilet. We have long had this idea and finally we put this into practice," said Galina Taranukha, deputy head of an art gallery housed above the toilet.
The honour to open the "Toilet Museum" was given to one of the town's best artists.
"Paintings by Sergei Orlov are exhibited here. He is an artist who is well-known in Izhevsk. His exhibitions have been held in Russia and abroad. We can even say he's one of the very well-known artists in Russian provinces. It's great that his works open all this, that he gives a push to this new and unusual art space," Galina Taranukha said.
Orlov's paintings hang on walls above urinals in an otherwise typical Russian public toilet, complete with notes to customers forbidding to stand in boots on toilet bowls.
"It was interesting to make it in a toilet to see how this cultural layer will look in a toilet. To combine those two processes. We found it interesting to bring them together," Sergei Orlov said.
The "Toilet Museum" decided not to charge extra with customers still paying 10 roubles (30 U.S. cents) for an entry ticket.
"I got aesthetic satisfaction. So I myself got full with something else too," toilet customer Tatyana said.
Izhevsk is a town of 600,000 people, located 1,200 km east from Moscow. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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