* “Everyone Poops” Artist Statement

Preface: when this was written in 2001 I was only 20 years old and very new to what I’ve only recently, in 2022, learned is the discourse of Discard Studies. Shout out to Max Libioron and Josh Lepawsky! When my girlfriend Amanda told me about the book and the field of Discard Studies, I felt a sense of resolution or completion to some of the ideas I was struggling with in my limited knowledge and terminology at the time. My teachers at the time were like, “Can’t you use different wording than poop? Like, can you say scatalogical or abject?” And at the time I was like no, it needs to be poop, it needs to be base or debased, with childlike language that felt more universal to me at the time, which is why I invoked the children’s literature text Everyone Poops. I believe it is in the context of Discard Studies that I feel comfortable sharing such early cringe artist statements because even though I was ignorant, I was onto something that much smarter people could properly articulate.

"Everyone poops". It is the title of a children's educational book and the phrase that I use to describe my philosophy on life. To say that everyone poops, is really a metaphor for the 2nd law of thermodynamics. With any transference of energy there is always waste energy. Here, waste energy is any production of a "refuse". Humans, industry, even plants "poop". Look at any evergreen tree. Notice that the evergreens drop their needles incrementally until there is a very thick, impenetrable layer of acidic refuse. This evergreen poop prevents most plants from growing within the tree's vicinity. The tree uses its "poop" very wisely, it thrives on its habitat being infested with its own "feces". There is something to be learned from this situation.

Have no fear, I am not about to propose that the reader would benefit from sitting around in piles of his/her own feces. Simply, that, as a society, we would benefit greatly if we could put our refuse and waste energy to a good use, any use.  I prefer the term poop instead of trash or refuse, because I want to discuss an extreme form of waste. A kind of waste that is more undesirable than most, a seemingly untouchable waste. Think of the trashcan you have sitting in your kitchen. Regularly you must take out the trash, and regularly you are found handling it. Consider this refuse like the snot in your nose. You encounter it frequently, and though you may not want to, you find yourself having to touch your snot with your hand: You pick your nose.

Now, consider your poop. Have you ever had to manipulate it directly with your hand? If so, wasn't that an un-enjoyable experience? Wouldn't you rather just pay money to have it whisked away, to never be seen again? Hopefully we can think of "societal poop" along the same lines. The most classic examples of "societal poop" are those items listed on the sides of dumpsters as non-disposable: motor-oil, paints, (and my favorite) tires. These items are so undesirable that not only do you have to transport the waste to "them", you also have to pay some amount of money to dispose of it.

I am currently working on a series based around the idea that it costs one dollar to dispose of one used tire*. The work revolves around harvesting old tires that have been dumped, and cutting them up and reconfiguring them. In attempts to invent some purpose or value for the old tires I have been constructing wearable pieces out of the "untouchable" stuff. I do not make the clothing with anyone else in mind. I find that there can only be progression and resolution of  waste when people accept the problems of waste personally. I wear the tires to confront myself with them on a direct, unavoidable level. I would like it if other people were to personalize the used tire problem, and begin finding their own method of dealing with this "poop".  What is more important to me than my artwork, is that people will be willing to work together in finding a function for our "poop".

— Andrew Thompson, Spring 2001

Note: when this statement was written 1 tire = -$1, and any increase of negative value is simply a product of the times