Bathroom

Imagine a commercial or movie scene set in a family bathroom. What do you see?

It's probably a pristine bathroom setting. A floor lined with shimmering white tile and fixtures that seem to sparkle. Maybe there's a young child standing on a step stool brushing his or her teeth while glancing at their reflection in a mirror. And in all likelihood, there's not a single item out of place from the porcelain soap dish to the towels neatly hanging on a rack.

Growing up living with my mother I was fortunate to experience something similar to what was just described.

But the image of the perfect family bathroom was shattered when I moved into my college home with five roommates.

Needless to say, I now define family bathrooms differently. Years of dust and mold accumulate, getting worse each passing day. Rarely does anyone want to clean it.

From October through December 2015, I explored the grimiest and most interesting actions found in our makeshift family bathroom. Finding the intricacies of a bathroom that's well used and abused at this point in the house's lifetime.

Living in a home with both men and women, each with his and her own routine, lifestyle and grooming habits, it’s no surprise the bathroom is a mess. But in capturing these details and moments that may have gone undocumented otherwise, I felt like I delved into how the bathroom plays an intimate part in each one of our lives.