Is toilet paper art?

Bomby · 09-16-2010, 05:51 PM

I was having a pretentious philosophical discussion over how to define art with my pretentious philosophical friend the other day, and we got onto a rather amusing tract about toilet paper and whether or not it should be considered art.

I don't mean "art" in the evaluative sense, like saying "Citizen Kane is a work of art, but Transformers 2 is just mindless entertainment." I mean art as like "paintings are art, films are art," etc.

**Deku Trii** · 09-16-2010, 06:01 PM

I think of art as being intentionally art, so not usually.

CuccoLady · 09-16-2010, 07:25 PM

Look at those pretty designs. Totally art.

deathscythe · 09-16-2010, 10:18 PM

Metal Man · 09-16-2010, 10:22 PM

According to one school of art, yes; it is capable of evoking feelings from people beyond just the mundane. The other one, which is more about function, rejects it as art entirely, insisting it has to be purpose-built.

Jenocide · 09-16-2010, 11:39 PM

That said, I suppose it could be art. It's all a matter of how you look at it. >_>

***CaptHayfever*** · 09-17-2010, 12:01 AM

Are we talking about toilet paper as a general concept here, or some specific design of it?

And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

Rainbow Dash · 09-17-2010, 12:47 AM

okay i want to make a really nasty joke but that'd be inappropriate

Val?

***Cosmonautical*** · 09-17-2010, 06:21 AM

Toilet paper is a craft, not really an art. I doubt there's anyone passionate about it enough to make it an art. There are plenty examples in public toilets, etc, to suggest that many companies have not even considered that it could perhaps take any thought to compose a decent leaf of the stuff. Shame, because I prefer not to flush a whole goddamn tree of the stuff.

Although, in the Citizen Kane sort of sense, you could contemplate its artistic relevance. The nature of toilet paper having so affixed itself in our minds conjures the essence of artistic comprehension: It is a possible inspiration, it is a possible medium, it entails quite a few facets that the average human is unwilling to visit. The stuff we wipe our asses with and discard: this is what we do with the goods harvested from eons of historical planetary toil. We treat it only as a resource with no relevance, but it has a rich history so disconnected from our psyche that very few people see any reason to contemplae it.

So I think the real answer here is that you and I are art fags that can turn anything into deep relevance. Even pop culture.

***Saria Dragon of the Rain Wilds*** · 09-17-2010, 06:32 AM

Toilet paper can be made artful; all it takes is five seconds trying desperately to find the plain white hypoallergenic variety amongst the many various printed and scented options to see that some of them are decorated in a specific "artful" kind of way.

But does that make toilet paper art? Is an unused canvas art, or is the art put atop the canvas? In that vein, wouldn't the toilet paper itself be less art, and more the basis for which artworks can be held?

Along another line, you can use toilet paper for art, or in art, just like you could use blank paper, blank canvas, for or in art. So that comes down to purpose. Toilet paper, in the sense of the roll hanging by the toilet to be used for sanitary disposal, is a utility. But you can take toilet paper and use it for an unintended purpose and make it art.

Finally, art is in the eye of the beholder. If you see something artful in ordinary items, then they are art to you. Art is relative. Art is personal. A picture of a soup can is just a picture, but Monet painted art.

Vgfian · 09-17-2010, 06:45 AM

^^No passion?

Who the hell has no passion for toilet paper and decides to come up with two-ply? Psh.

Totally art.

***Cosmonautical*** · 09-17-2010, 06:56 AM

Haha yeah smartass, finding a purpose to fulfill to market to consumers doesn't make your intentions artistic. :P

**Valigarmander** · 09-18-2010, 09:48 AM

Toilet paper could become various kinds of art, depending on what you ate.

Rainbow Dash · 09-20-2010, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Valigarmander

Toilet paper could become various kinds of art, depending on what you ate.

and there it is

Vgfian · 09-20-2010, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Culmination of Horrible

Haha yeah smartass, finding a purpose to fulfill to market to consumers doesn't make your intentions artistic. :P

You need funds to continue to give the public the toilet paper art they crave.

Auron · 09-22-2010, 10:11 AM

I guess you could call it a complimentary piece to Duchamp.

***CaptHayfever*** · 09-22-2010, 11:59 AM

Don't get me started on that.

And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

View Poll Results: Toiler Paper: Art or not?
Yes, the flowery designs clearly make it art.	3	33.33%
Maybe if you printed the Mona Lisa on it.	0	0%
No, and if it was I'd never want to actually use it.	3	33.33%
Toilet paper? Screw that! I use an ear of corn!	3	33.33%
Voters: 9. You may not vote on this poll \| Withdraw Vote

09-16-2010, 05:51 PM	#1
Bomby You just freaking blew Joe Biden's mind! Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: WHAT?house Gender: Posts: 19,491 Thanks: 513 Thanked 1,449 Times in 849 Posts Blog Entries: 5	Is toilet paper art? I was having a pretentious philosophical discussion over how to define art with my pretentious philosophical friend the other day, and we got onto a rather amusing tract about toilet paper and whether or not it should be considered art. I don't mean "art" in the evaluative sense, like saying "Citizen Kane is a work of art, but Transformers 2 is just mindless entertainment." I mean art as like "paintings are art, films are art," etc. Last edited by Bomby; 09-16-2010 at 06:11 PM.

09-22-2010, 10:11 AM	#16
Auron Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Inside Gender: Posts: 6,743 Thanks: 5 Thanked 325 Times in 198 Posts	Personally I'd say no, but.... I guess you could call it a complimentary piece to Duchamp.

09-16-2010, 06:01 PM	#2
Deku Trii PP&R Mod Current Events Mod Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Texas Gender: Posts: 9,031 Thanks: 521 Thanked 1,099 Times in 583 Posts	I think of art as being intentionally art, so not usually.

09-16-2010, 07:25 PM	#3
CuccoLady Anime and Cartoons Mod Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: THIS LOCATION REMINDS ME OF A PUZZLE, LUKE Gender: Posts: 9,077 Thanks: 2,825 Thanked 1,222 Times in 822 Posts	Look at those pretty designs. Totally art.

09-16-2010, 10:18 PM	#4
deathscythe Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: This question always has been creepy Gender: Posts: 8,600 Thanks: 235 Thanked 153 Times in 134 Posts

09-16-2010, 10:22 PM	#5
Metal Man Fairy-Slaying Maniac Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: 1592 Miles Away From Here Gender: Posts: 18,062 Thanks: 148 Thanked 683 Times in 482 Posts	According to one school of art, yes; it is capable of evoking feelings from people beyond just the mundane. The other one, which is more about function, rejects it as art entirely, insisting it has to be purpose-built.

09-16-2010, 11:39 PM	#6
Jenocide Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: In the glovebox. Gender: Posts: 635 Thanks: 69 Thanked 97 Times in 68 Posts Blog Entries: 21	That said, I suppose it could be art. It's all a matter of how you look at it. >_>

09-17-2010, 12:01 AM	#7
*CaptHayfever* Smash SuperMod Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: (n) - the place where I am Gender: Posts: 27,659 Thanks: 1,991 Thanked 2,486 Times in 1,513 Posts	Are we talking about toilet paper as a general concept here, or some specific design of it? And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

09-17-2010, 12:47 AM	#8
Rainbow Dash been dreamin', i've been waitin' Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: a bomb-ass cloud house bachelorette pad Gender: Posts: 24,401 Thanks: 173 Thanked 1,179 Times in 716 Posts	okay i want to make a really nasty joke but that'd be inappropriate Val?

09-17-2010, 06:21 AM	#9
*Cosmonautical* Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: I rub my tilde all over your asterisk Gender: Posts: 28,100 Thanks: 2,151 Thanked 5,338 Times in 2,433 Posts	Toilet paper is a craft, not really an art. I doubt there's anyone passionate about it enough to make it an art. There are plenty examples in public toilets, etc, to suggest that many companies have not even considered that it could perhaps take any thought to compose a decent leaf of the stuff. Shame, because I prefer not to flush a whole goddamn tree of the stuff. Although, in the Citizen Kane sort of sense, you could contemplate its artistic relevance. The nature of toilet paper having so affixed itself in our minds conjures the essence of artistic comprehension: It is a possible inspiration, it is a possible medium, it entails quite a few facets that the average human is unwilling to visit. The stuff we wipe our asses with and discard: this is what we do with the goods harvested from eons of historical planetary toil. We treat it only as a resource with no relevance, but it has a rich history so disconnected from our psyche that very few people see any reason to contemplae it. So I think the real answer here is that you and I are art fags that can turn anything into deep relevance. Even pop culture.

09-17-2010, 06:32 AM	#10
*Saria Dragon of the Rain Wilds* Admin "mine.. not yours. NO. MINE." Epic Ladynerd Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Forteresse de Valois Gender: Posts: 28,504 Thanks: 1,658 Thanked 1,820 Times in 1,042 Posts	Toilet paper can be made artful; all it takes is five seconds trying desperately to find the plain white hypoallergenic variety amongst the many various printed and scented options to see that some of them are decorated in a specific "artful" kind of way. But does that make toilet paper art? Is an unused canvas art, or is the art put atop the canvas? In that vein, wouldn't the toilet paper itself be less art, and more the basis for which artworks can be held? Along another line, you can use toilet paper for art, or in art, just like you could use blank paper, blank canvas, for or in art. So that comes down to purpose. Toilet paper, in the sense of the roll hanging by the toilet to be used for sanitary disposal, is a utility. But you can take toilet paper and use it for an unintended purpose and make it art. Finally, art is in the eye of the beholder. If you see something artful in ordinary items, then they are art to you. Art is relative. Art is personal. A picture of a soup can is just a picture, but Monet painted art.

09-17-2010, 06:45 AM	#11
Vgfian Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Listening to Seeking 7 Seven and giving out free hugs. :) Gender: Posts: 6,862 Thanks: 2,433 Thanked 398 Times in 311 Posts	^^No passion? Who the hell has no passion for toilet paper and decides to come up with two-ply? Psh. Totally art.

09-17-2010, 06:56 AM	#12
*Cosmonautical* Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: I rub my tilde all over your asterisk Gender: Posts: 28,100 Thanks: 2,151 Thanked 5,338 Times in 2,433 Posts	Haha yeah smartass, finding a purpose to fulfill to market to consumers doesn't make your intentions artistic. :P

09-18-2010, 09:48 AM	#13
Valigarmander The Bee's Knees Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: The land of rain and trees (Oregon) Gender: Posts: 29,755 Thanks: 1,649 Thanked 5,700 Times in 2,580 Posts Blog Entries: 20	Toilet paper could become various kinds of art, depending on what you ate.

09-22-2010, 11:59 AM	#17
*CaptHayfever* Smash SuperMod Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: (n) - the place where I am Gender: Posts: 27,659 Thanks: 1,991 Thanked 2,486 Times in 1,513 Posts	Don't get me started on that. And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"