Glimpses of Pootopia Issue#3

Glimpses of Pootopia Issue #3

Launching at the KSCA exhibition The Art of Adaptation at Manly Art Gallery & Museum is the newest edition of Glimpses of Pootopia journal.

Click here to download a PDF of the journal issue.

Editor’s Introduction:
Many curly questions surround the topic of human manure composting. Here at Glimpses of Pootopia, we frequently receive correspondence from readers asking for advice about relationships, philosophical quandaries, and quantum mechanics. These we fend off deftly, as they sit outside our area of specialist expertise.

However, a small and precious corner of our mailbag receives queries specific to the world of humanure. In an attempt to answer these, “once and for all”, regular Glimpses correspondent Madame Crappington (aka Kim Williams) has kindly composed an earworm, which you are sure to hum while you work on your next number two.

We hope you will find Kim’s song as educational as it is entertaining. Glimpses editor Don Poo-Leone has provided annotations to the song. Due to rising prices in the cost of paper, these have had to be kept brief. As usual, if you require further clarification, simply email the editor (contact details above) and we will address your concerns in Issue #4. Enjoy!

Correspondence, corrections, suggestions for future editions:
Please email the editor Don Poo-Leone, don@pootopia.art

Poo and Wee – (by Kim Williams) – the Karaoke Video

Announcing a new song from the genius mind of Kim Williams.

We performed Poo and Wee at the launch of the KSCA exhibition at Manly Art Gallery & Museum, with the help of young Fergus, and the KSCA “Better-Out-Than-In” Choir.

The karaoke video here, which was produced by the legends at WayWard Films, is exhibited inside The Turdis.

Enjoy this earworm!

–
Thanks to Riley Jones and Anna Jones at UOW for help with recording this version of the song.

2026 – The Turdis on Tour!

turdis flyer cropped

In 2026, The Turdis will be on tour! Travelling hither and thither to educate, entertain and edify – a bright pink laxative to the morally constipated citizens of NSW!

Here’s what we know so far:

Manly Art Gallery and Museum (MAG&M)
Fri 10 April to Sun 7 June, 2026
…as part of KSCA‘s exhibition The Art of Adaptation – Culture Changes Everywhere.
Here is a flyer for the launch event.
BONUS – On Sat 9 May, KSCA is presenting the CEAD forum at MAG&M. Pootopia is presenting a SHIT CULTURES workshop as part of the forum – book here.

Blue Mountains Cultural Centre
Fri 19 June to Sun 2 August, 2026
…as part of KSCA’s exhibition The Art of Adaptation – Culture Changes Everywhere which is touring to the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre in Katoomba after it finishes up in Manly.

CEMENTA Festival
Curated by Sebastian Henry Jones
Late September 2026 (exact date TBA)
Pootopia will be in residency in Kandos in mid-June to develop community connections for our contribution to the CEMENTA festival.

…possible further festival dates in late 2026, stay tuned…

Madame Crappington speaks to Aunty

Pootopia’s Madame Crappington* was invited to speak to Chris Calcino from ABC Radio in Far North Queensland last week. FNQ was in the grips of Tropical Cyclone Narelle, and oil prices were (and still are) soaring due to the Iran-Israel-USA war. With all the shit going down in the world right now, we’re not surprised that the ABC turned to Pootopia! for solutions.

Enjoy this short and lively interview about the delights of human manure composting!

—
*Madame Crappington is represented by her agent Kim Williams. Contact Kim for further media appearance invitations.

Pootopia featured in UOW SDG report 2024

Pootopia is not only an art project, and a community engagement project, and an environmental campaign. It’s also an research project for artists, economists, and scientists at University of Wollongong.

In this report (12mb PDF file) UOW celebrates some of its research activities which align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Pootopia is featured on page 12.

Here’s a screenshot:

this is a screenshot from the report - several people stand in front of the pink Turdis composting toilet

The TURDIS World Premiere – 2 Nov 2024

Join us for the WORLD PREMIERE public appearance of The TURDIS.

We are partnering with the Wollongong Botanic Gardens to provide toileting services for the upcoming SUPER SATURDAY PLANT SALE.

Time: 730am-2pm

Location: Greenplan Nursery at Botanic Gardens – enter via 65 Northfields Avenue, North Wollongong.

The TURDIS is an innovation of the Pootopia research group at University of Wollongong.

Design by Kim Williams

Construction by Kim Williams and Lucas Ihlein

This project brings together art, engineering, and economics to investigate the impact of human manure composting.

On 2 November 2024 the Pootopia team will showcase a new toileting experience – THE TURDIS – an attractive, quick-assembly unit, servicing on-site events.

With THE TURDIS your poo and wee makes soil, not pollution!

THE TURDIS – choice of time-lords across the galaxy!

“I abhor chemical portaloos! Whenever I time-travel, I choose THE TURDIS” – Dr Poo.

The construction of THE TURDIS was supported by a grant from Culture Bank Wollongong.

The Pootopia project is funded by University of Wollongong’s Global Challenges program.

Graphic design for the TURDIS publicity material is by the John “Bristol Stool Chart” Causley.

Pootopia at the Northern Beaches Environmental Art and Design Award

2024 Environmental Art and Design Prize at Manly Art Gallery and Museum, Manly – Thursday 1 August 2024

We put together a small installation based around the Yours and Owls documentary video, for the recent Northern Beaches Environmental Art and Design Award at Manly Art Gallery and Museum.

On the shelf are three ‘vintages’ of humanure we have created in recent years – from Port Kembla, Capertee Valley, and the Yours and Owls Festival.

The installation also includes a V.I.Poo Tshirt, and a poster of our humanure manifesto.

Doctorin’ the Turdis!

New #pootopia phase! We commissioned a custom hot pink water tank to transform into a fully portable V.I.Poo Mark2 composting dunny!

Thanks to @rotoplasrainwatertanks for fabricating this beauty for us, manufactured right here in the ‘gong (actually #unanderra of course).

We will offer this to lucky crappers at the @wollongongbotanicgarden super Saturday plant sale in November !

Thanks so much to @culturebank_wollongong for funds towards this project!

(see this post on Instagram)

Now go listen to this!