From whimsical illustrations of unicorns and dolphins to minimalist sketches and agricultural themes featuring roosters and hens, the world’s restroom signage is far more diverse than the standard male and female figures. This global visual survey is the centerpiece of “To pee or not to pee,” a new bilingual French-English volume published by Editions Fine Heidi Production.
The project was driven by psychologist Marion Aufseesser, who collected a vast array of photographs documenting the different ways bathrooms are marked across various continents. The book’s creation was further supported by Xavier Casile, the director of the publishing house. This collection highlights how simple signage can reflect cultural nuances and artistic creativity.
Beyond the visual curiosity, the book addresses the deeper social and humanitarian implications of public sanitation. Philosopher Guila Clara Kessous contributes a perspective on the restroom as a space that can provide respite and connection, though she notes it can also be a place of threat for women.
The publication also brings attention to a critical global crisis. Baudoin Luce, an expert with the WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) humanitarian program, uses the work to highlight the “humanitarian scandal” affecting 3.5 billion people who lack access to toilets, leaving them vulnerable to epidemics. This contrast underscores the vast disparity between the aesthetic variety of signage in developed areas and the basic lack of infrastructure in others.
