Restroom art gallery opens in Ohio
Artists Nancy Mellon, left, and Corrine Bayraktaroglu, right, look over pieces of art while posing over a stall inside the women''s public restroom inside the Yellow Springs Chamber of Commerce building, Thursday, June 15, 2006, in Yellow Springs, Ohio.
Anyone who uses the public restrooms in Yellow Spring, a southwest Ohio village, will be treated to a display of original paintings on the walls.
Dubbed the ChamberPot Gallery, the exhibition that opened in mid-June is the brainchild of two local artists hoping to draw attention to this artist-oriented community.
"For the most part, everybody has been very excited about this. They just think it''s a hoot," said Corrine Bayraktaroglu, co-organizer of the restroom gallery. "And we''re getting puns left, right and center - take a peek while you leak."
Some of the 19 works, mostly by local artists, are bathroom-themed, including a dress made of pink, blue and yellow tissues, and a person''s face screaming out: "Got Paper?" Some paintings are abstract, and other subjects featured include an outhouse and a person blowing soap bubbles.
The idea for the display got quick approval from the arts council and officials in the village of 3,700, which has a 1960s feel with people in tie-dyed clothing and other hippie-like attire frequenting streets lined with artisan shops.
There are other places have given restroom users something to look at. For example, sports pages are placed on the wall over urinals in some restaurant restrooms.
"It really is a good way to incorporate art into buildings," said Kevin Cole, spokesman for the Sheboygan center. "Those restrooms in Yellow Springs - more than likely - will become attractions in themselves."
Don Haddox, 66, of nearby Beavercreek, suggested moving the paintings down to eye level when he uses the men''s room.
The paintings will be displayed for a year. After six months, the artwork in the women''s room will move to the men''s room and vice versa.
(Agencies)
位于俄亥俄州西南部黄泉村的一所公厕内搞起了画展，上厕所的人可以在此欣赏到挂在墙上的各种原创绘画作品。
这个被称为“ChamberPot画廊”的画展于6月中旬开放，源于当地两位艺术家的灵感。他们希望以此来吸引人们关注这个艺术氛围浓厚的小镇。
厕所画廊的协办者Corrine Bayraktaroglu说：“从很大程度上来看，每个人对这个画展都很感兴趣。他们觉得这很新鲜。我们在厕所左边、右边和中间的墙上都挂上了带有双关意味的画--在你方便时可以瞄几眼。”
参展的19幅作品大部分出自当地艺术家之手，有一些作品以厕所为主题，其中一幅画展示的是由粉色、蓝色和黄色卫生纸做成的裙子，画中的人物大叫：“有纸吗？”还有一些作品比较抽象，另有一些画题包括一座户外厕所和一个吹着肥皂泡的人。
举办厕所画展的想法很快得到当地艺术委员会和官员们的同意。黄温泉村共有3700人口，整个村庄充满了上世纪60年代的气息，村民穿着扎染的服装或是一身嬉皮士打扮出现在街头，街边散布着许多艺术品手工作坊。
黄泉村另有一些地方也在厕所里摆放了一些东西供方便者欣赏。如，一些餐馆洗手间便池上方的墙壁上就贴有报纸的体育版。
Sheboygan 中心发言人凯文·科尔说：“在厕所办画廊是让艺术与建筑物相结合的一个很好的办法。黄泉村的这些厕所很可能会因此成为‘景点’。”
黄泉村附近Beavercreek村66岁的村民堂·哈德克斯建议，应该把这些画移到与眼睛平齐的位置，这样他蹲下来方便时可以更好地欣赏。
厕所画展为期一年。半年后，女厕的画作和男厕的画作将交换场地。
(英语点津姗姗编辑)
Vocabulary:
brainchild: an original idea or plan attributed to a person or group（想法；计划）
hoot: one that is hilariously funny（滑稽古怪的东西）
urinal: 便池
