| PHOTOS BY MARY JO BOLE |
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Who would see a toilet as a work of art? In a time when home décor and Feng shui are not only popular but have entire TV stations dedicated to the subject does it really seem that strange? Those smooth bowls of porcelain are not just about functionality anymore. With names like The Crane and The Hatbox they are about shape, comfort, water conservation and beauty. But there is a history behind these sensual pieces of art and it lies within the cells of Eastern State Penitentiary. Now a historic landmark the prison gives tours and shows work by contemporary artists. For the upcoming 2010 season they are particularly interested in reviewing proposals for the Visitation Room Garden, the Greenhouse, and Cell blocks 11 and 34. Purge Incomplete is a new installation by artist and Ohio State University Professor Mary Jo Bole that focuses on the plumbing at Eastern State Penitentiary. “The prison had plumbing before the White House,” she says. It was the pen’s focus to rehabilitate through isolation of the prisoners which would ideally lead to penitence. The toilets were installed in each cell to prevent interaction between the inmates. The inmates were fed through a small opening in the door and had their own private exercise yard. But there was a flaw in the design. Not only would the prisoners go insane from complete isolation, but the toilets would often back up and leave an intolerable stench throughout the prison. |
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Preliminary
Drawings for Purge Incomplete |