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...The wooden toilet is a familiar, typical image to everyone. Over the years, this structure has accumulated numerous meanings and has become a central figure in folklore. Such a little house has no singular author, and various modifications of it can still be found today: from temporary solutions at summer cottages and in private homes without utilities in the center of Tula to architectural designs in public spaces and parks (where the single-occupancy restroom has transformed into a multi-room house). Each of these solutions represents the same universal symbol. Much like garage culture, the outhouse has its own recognizable form, unique graphics, and typical context. This image sparks discussions about cultural codes and a person’s connection to the culture of their land. In the wooden single-occupancy outhouse, there are no conversations about democracy, as is customary in third places*, and no horizontal connections are strengthened (although, who knows), but the very existence of such a space leads to insights into the universality of the past and the imagery of childhood.
What's more interesting is that the question of cultural codes is revealed through pleasant and visually acceptable techniques. The central subject of the exhibition is a painting by artist Oleg Agafonov. Is it a garden? A vegetable patch? The backyard of a private house? Does the artist depict early spring, and that’s why the path to the small architectural structure hasn't been worn down yet, or is it the height of summer and there is no path because it has long overgrown? Is this a remnant, since the plot already has running water? Is an apple tree growing nearby (because there's always an apple tree nearby!) or a plum? And what does this wooden rectangle mean to the artist?
The exhibition is dynamic: right now it is being filled with homages**, and in its finished form, it will be presented in winter. Each homage is created by local artists and represents a personal interpretation of the storyline in Oleg Agafonov's original painting, done in the artist’s unique technique. The theme is just a pretext to start a conversation
(or create?).

Text: Katya Buzova
Artist and creator of the idea: Oleg Agafonov

*The concept of third places was formulated by sociologist Ray Oldenburg in his book The Great Good Place. Third places—after home and work—include all public spaces: coffee shops, libraries, cultural centers. These are places where friends meet, neighbors share news, business matters are resolved, and conversations with strangers begin. Third places play an important role in developing civil society and democracy by providing opportunities for people of any social status to interact in informal settings.
**A homage is a work that imitates another creator.

Oleg Agafonov
Original Art