Exclusive loo seats designed by artists and celebs go under the hammer for WaterAid

View and download photosVisit the auction siteDame Zandra Rhodes, Harry Hill, Val Garland, Boy George, Pam Hogg, Ozwald Boateng and Martin Parr celebrate the Best Seat in the House as a lifesaver in auction at British Art Fair 

A group of 25 fashion designers, artists and celebrities including Boy George, Dame Zandra Rhodes, Harry Hill and Val Garland will auction their unique toilet seat creations for WaterAid this month to help lift the lid on the global sanitation crisis and celebrate the humble loo as a lifesaver.  

The exclusive ‘Best Seat in the House’ art collection, which features a golden throne, punk art, and a lucky toilet seat, will go on show at the British Art Fair at the Saatchi Gallery. The public will have the chance to get their hands on a fabulous one-of-a-kind piece by their favourite artist when they go under the hammer between 23 to 29 September online via Givergy, and from 26 September at the art fair.

One in five people worldwide don’t have a decent toilet of their own, affecting people’s health, dignity, education and livelihoods. All proceeds from the auction will support WaterAid's work alongside communities worldwide to make sure they have clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene, meaning people can stay healthy and thrive.  

Musician and multi-media artist Boy George, whose art matches his music and personality – colourful, bold and provocative – said:

“Royal or rocker, toilets are a great leveller because we all have to use one. A lot of serious thinking can be done on the throne, but can you imagine life without your toilet?  That’s the reality for one in five people in the world.   

“I love the concept of reimagining the toilet as a luxury, and had a lot of fun designing my own Best Seat in the House to highlight the importance of decent toilets. My seat is a ‘punk throne’ of defiance, with a cheeky message written inside as I like to bring humour and optimism into my art. It’s great to see my creation going under the hammer for WaterAid to help more people get this basic right.”  

Dame Zandra Rhodes, who famously designed garments for Diana, Princess of Wales and rock star Freddie Mercury, has added a touch of style and beauty to the humble toilet seat.  

Image: WaterAid/ Oliver Dixon

Dame Zandra said:    

“It’s been fabulous teaming up with WaterAid to bring a splash of luxury to the humble loo and raise awareness of the importance of good sanitation. I draped my toilet seat in rich, blue silk organza, which has one of my archive prints ‘Chinese Water Circles’ printed onto it, to emulate water, creating perfect waves and golden swirls.    

“Through auctioning the toilet seat art, we are helping raise vital funds to support WaterAid’s work to help ensure toilets are not a luxury that is out of reach for some, but a basic right that is available to all.”    

Fashion designer Pam Hogg has been making a statement with her designs since the 1980s.  She is a champion of the eccentric and the outlandish, creating unconventional clothes for confident women.  She draped her toilet seat in recycled gold fabrics to create a true throne fit for royalty, emphasizing that it is a luxury for some.

Image: WaterAid/ Oliver Dixon

Pam said:    

“Toilets shouldn’t be a luxury reserved for some but an essential for all. I wanted to make my toilet seat for WaterAid’s ‘Best Seat in the House’ a true throne, draped in gold with leftover fabrics from previous collections to raise awareness that one in five people do not have the luxury of a toilet.  

“This crisis affects women and girls disproportionately.  Toilets help keep girls safe and in school, and also helps prevent the spread of diseases. I’m hoping we’ll get lots of bids for the toilet seat artworks to raise much needed money for WaterAid’s work and help transform people’s health and education.”    

Val Garland, make-up artist and Glow Up judge, decorated her ‘Let’s Get Lippy’ in vivid red satin fabric lips, giving the humble toilet a glamorous makeover and inviting people to get talking about toilets.  

Image: WaterAid/ Oliver Dixon

Val said:

“I want the shocking fact that one in five people don’t have a toilet to be on everyone’s lips. So, I took the idea of lips as the basis of my toilet seat design to get people talking about this vital issue.”

Harry Hill, Ozwald Boateng, Martin Parr, Pure Evil, Sophie Tea and Hayden Kays have also given the ‘Best Seat in the House’ a special splash of luxury, using art to challenge taboos and spark conversations about toilets.  

Tim Wainwright, Chief Executive at WaterAid, said:  

“These fun and striking toilet seat creations are a great way of bringing toilets into the conversation and conveying the message the everyone, everywhere, should have access to a decent toilet. It’s easy to take toilets for granted, but together with clean water and good hygiene, they can save lives.  

“Having decent toilets can transform whole communities, helping stop the spread of disease, keep girls in school and improve people’s safety and dignity. All proceeds from the auction will help get clean water, toilets and good hygiene to schools and communities around the world, helping change more lives for good.” 

Best Seat in the House originated from a collaboration between WaterAid and photographer Rankin, whose agency photographed the collection to help raise awareness of the global sanitation crisis. 

This is the third year of a charity partnership between WaterAid and The British Art Fair, which runs from 26 to 29 September at Saatchi Gallery and will feature the toilet artworks for one last time before they go to their new homes.