douglas Kornfeld
"Who are You?" - 2010
Acrylic paint (Men's Room) Vinyl (Women's Room) - Boston Center for the Arts, Boston, MA.
This art installation draws inspiration from the commonly used icons on restroom entrances. As these figures have become more and more common, they have become less and less descriptive of how men and women see and describe themselves. While they serve a useful purpose as easily understood signage and signifiers, they also narrow our perception of the richness and diversity of those they depict. The art installation deliberately leaves some of the stalls and urinals without icons, allowing users to opt-out of being defined by a particular icon. Choosing a urinal or stall without an icon becomes a deliberate act to not participate in being defined by the figure.
