Closed Conversations - Latrinalia

The practice of graffiti is often related to the modern age and as a symbol of rebellion, an act of vandalism and a ‘lesser’ form of art. On the contrary, graffiti has been a common practice since ancient civilizations, where even in the mass ruins of ancient Greece and Rome archaeologists have still found graffiti over frescoes and public walls. The majority of these have been categorized as ‘names’ in the sense that the graffiti artist essentially just signed their name in this space, an adamant concept of leaving one’s presence behind. Admittedly this practice of leaving a part of one’s existence behind continued throughout the years, adapted into initials carved on a bench, or lockets attached to bridges, but nothing as effective as the power of a graffiti mark. 

Now, graffiti is doubtlessly found on endless surfaces around the globe, (although York is not an exemplary place to understand this) the most interactive ones by far is the phenomenon of bathroom graffiti, formally known as latrinalia, marks that redefine the impact of graffiti. Instead of passive observation much like graffiti art often entails, it pleads the viewer to read and to answer back. It pleads private conversation. 

The humble bathroom cubicle becomes one of the most visited places on a night out, often becoming a therapy room at times. But sometimes this therapy does not come from your drunk friend you dragged to the bathroom with you but from the messages scattered all over the bathroom walls. 

Latrinalia has been followed for years for its private nature of communication that is a somewhat rare phenomenon between reader and writer. It represents a codified form of communication, whereby only people who truly pay attention in the realms of a cubicle will get the message. And what are these messages? Well latrinalia notoriously changes between gendered bathrooms, whereby the general observation has been noted that men’s bathrooms tend to have more provocative, offensive messages as opposed to the more supportive, moral boosting messages often written on women’s walls. In a way this truly represents the full meaning of the female public bathroom as a place of protection and sisterhood in times of uncertainty or danger that women confront in bars and clubs. 

Latrianalia, YPSILON, 2022

Of course, latrinalia can also include more poetic pieces, which I have often found to be the case in more snobby, high art functioning urban settings, such as my own favourite bar ΥΨΙΛΟΝ. In a way it was one of the few spaces I had actually encountered meaningful bathroom graffiti and what made me begin to pay attention to the art of graffiti as a whole. Although the cubicle seems a bizarre setting for such revelations, I think the importance of this space is that it makes you confront the graffiti one on one at a moment where there really is nothing else to look at. People often believe that bathroom scribbling is vandalism and derogatory, almost like an intrusive presence, but I believe that it is one of the few spaces that people’s words can actually be noticed and reflected on. Especially as no one has any ability to trace who wrote what in the unmonitored space of toilet cubicles, latrinalia represents anonymity to the fullest. It represents a form of writing that is often unfiltered and honest just because of the writer’s lack of fear, there truly is nothing to lose in an act of bathroom writing. 

Going back to the space of women’s bathrooms, as strange as it is, the true phenomenon of sisterhood in the bathroom space is the reality of the modern world. How many times as a woman do you go to the bathroom and are complimented, or offered perfume, or tampons? It has become a safe place, because quite truthfully it is a shelter from the often harsh settings that public houses can be. Therefore, I think bathroom graffiti in women’s bathrooms is not just a more literary form of this sisterhood, but it should be encouraged to enforce the maintenance of these safe spaces and truly pass on the messages that matter. Gossip is often frowned upon as a form of hearsay, but quite honestly it is a feminine tactic to navigate the social space and know what dangers to look out for. Latrinalia is simply another form of gossip at times and is there to inform and warn rather than intrude - it is simply another way to disseminate knowledge and the odd compliment. 

Did I ever think I would be openly discussing public bathrooms in such depth? Honestly, no. And frankly, as I’m writing this it still feels a bit odd. But, just because something is not really discussed doesn't mean it shouldn’t be. As discussed, graffiti is often used as a way of leaving a part of one’s self behind as a souvenir to the world, however this does not mean there are cases where they are not genuinely pieces of poetry and knowledge interweaved between the endless names written on walls. Although bathroom graffiti has been observed for years I think it’s time we all pay a little more attention the next time we come across it- because you never know what you might learn.