What is Art? Can it be found in the basin of a urinal?
Art in Unexpected Places
What is art? Can it be found in the basin of a urinal or the curvature of a bidet? In my opinion—absolutely! Art is not limited to grand canvases, marble sculptures, or ornate cathedrals. It can emerge from the most unexpected places—even the bathroom. It all depends on how we choose to see and perceive the world around us..”
Duchamp’s Fountain: Redefining Art
“Fountain” is one of Marcel’s most famous works and is widely seen as an icon of twentieth-century Art.
In 1917, French artist Marcel Duchamp turned the art world upside down with his provocative Fountain, a standard porcelain urinal displayed as a sculpture. This work was part of Duchamp’s “ready-made” series, in which he repurposed ordinary, mass-produced objects and presented them as art. By doing so, he questioned the very definition of artistic creation—was art about craftsmanship, or was it about the artist’s intent?
Fountain quickly became one of the most controversial pieces of the 20th century. At the time, critics dismissed it as indecent, immoral, and unworthy of artistic recognition. Yet, an editorial—likely written by artist and writer Beatrice Wood—defended Duchamp’s work:
‘Mr. Mutt’s fountain is not immoral, that is absurd, no more than a bathtub is immoral. It is a fixture that you see every day in plumbers’ shop windows. Whether Mr Mutt with his own hands made the fountain has no importance. He CHOSE it. He took an ordinary article of life, placed it so that its useful significance disappeared under the new title and point of view – created a new thought for that object.’
This argument shattered traditional artistic norms. Art, at its best, forces us to re-evaluate the world and see objects in new ways.
Although the original Fountain was lost, replicas now exist, with one prominently displayed at the Tate Gallery in London. Today, Duchamp’s work is widely regarded as a defining moment in modern art, challenging preconceived notions of what can and cannot be considered artistic.
Art is at its best when it makes you re-evaluate your world.
If a urinal can be considered art, what about a bidet? This humble yet essential bathroom fixture has an equally fascinating history, dating back to the early 18th century.
The word bidet originates from the French word for “pony,” as its shape resembled a small horse that one straddled to use. The invention likely emerged in both France and Italy around the same time, as people sought improved hygiene solutions. In the 1700s, regular bathing was a luxury, and bidets offered a practical way to stay clean.
Even Napoleon Bonaparte had a bidet—crafted from silver!
With the advent of indoor plumbing in the 19th and 20th centuries, bidets became common in European bathrooms. But beyond their function, they also became objects of beauty. The first truly artistic bidets are credited to French furniture maker Christopher Des Rosiers, who crafted elaborately decorated porcelain designs, often inlaid with intricate patterns.
Even Napoleon Bonaparte had a bidet—crafted from silver! Beyond its luxury, silver has natural antimicrobial properties, keeping the fixture cleaner for longer. Napoleon valued his bidet so much that he took it with him on his travels, treating it as a prized possession rather than a mere utility.
So what do you think? Can Bathroom Fixtures Be Considered Art?
So, can a urinal or a bidet be art? That is for you to decide. Duchamp’s Fountain remains one of the most hotly debated pieces in art history, proving that art is as much about context and perception as it is about form and technique.
Similarly, when we examine the bidet beyond its function, we see an object with rich historical significance, cultural evolution, and even artistic craftsmanship. It ceases to be just a fixture and transforms into a statement—about hygiene, about luxury, about society itself.
Art is meant to make us think, question, and reinterpret our world. When taken out of context, Duchamp’s urinal forces us to reconsider everyday objects and their place in artistic expression. In much the same way, a beautifully designed bidet becomes more than a bathroom fixture—it becomes a fascinating artifact, an intersection of functionality and aesthetic beauty.
Perhaps the real lesson here is that art is everywhere, even in the most unexpected places. You just have to look at it with the right perspective.
