This post is brought to you by AF New York

What does an all-white room signify to you? For me, it’s a fraught mix of sanitarium/hospital, a sort of blank slate for digital reality a la The Matrix, and a vaguely heavenly connotation—like something from a film in which Morgan Freeman plays God. Now, what if we adorn said room with all-white upscale bathroom fixtures? What if we bedeck it from tip to toe with Victoria & Albert washbasins, Duravit vanities, Geberit U.S.A. flush plates, and Infinity Drains? How would that make you feel?

Juliana Fajardo, Chief of Staff at AF New York, is betting that this very unorthodox and equally provocative installation will provoke a powerful reaction, one way or another: “The gallery style, the re-contextualization of these objects, allows you to appreciate them on another level, to experience the different textures, the artfulness and the beauty of the forms.”

Looking at White Room’s many mounted urinals, one can’t help but think of Marcel Duchamp and his elevation of underappreciated objects into the realm of art. White Room accomplishes this and more. By taking items that are ordinarily beneath us and sometimes under our very feet, and placing them at hand and eye level, Merchandising Director Herb Fogliano invites us to explore them in a very different way. Beyond facilitating the utilitarian task of flushing or washing, they become tactile entities with an inherent allure. We see the purity of the forms, the precision of the design, and the way they interact with and distinguish themselves from one another. 

The whitewashing of it all is an artistic coup with multi-layered meanings. I only hinted above at the contradictory emotions the whiteness evokes. Add to this the onset of the pandemic (Mr. Fogliano had begun the build-out pre-COVID in November of 2019), and the possible interpretations expand exponentially.

Originally begun as an homage to the 70s and 80s White Parties that supported HIV/AIDS research, for Mr. Fogliano, the original meaning was connected to the egalitarian nature of white, “it isn’t lack of color, but rather a combination of all the colors of the rainbow.” However, the pandemic forced all involved to re-consider this. Writ large, therefore, is the idea of new beginnings and clean slates, as we all cautiously start looking forward to a return to some semblance of normalcy. There’s also the suggestion of cleanliness and ultra-hygienic surfaces (magnified by a neat little tower of Clorox bottles and perfectly folded towels in the center of the space). This is a potent example of the way art morphs and evolves as it bumps up against its context: “This kind of engagement is crucial because it really takes it beyond a transactional conversation… creating an entirely different experience than if you were just seeing a typical bathroom set up.”

The other aspect of the pandemic that speaks directly to the installation is the need to experience things in person, something I wasn’t able to do. Ms. Fajardo emphasizes, in fact insists on, this aspect: “It’s crucial to be there physically and get the entire experience, from your eyes all the way down to your feet,” which, incidentally, if you’re able to visit, will be sans shoes—all the better to maintain the pristine white floor and enhance the tactile immersion.

Yes, there’s only so much you can experience via a video tour of this installation. During our Zoom call, I was taken round and round, invited to peer through the miniaturized Century Shower Doors, palpate the custom Americh tub (which is surfaced with an intricate impasto style porcelain finish), and spin the Geberit flush plate “wheel of fortune”. But, alas, I could only imagine what it might be like to bring all of my senses to bear on this unique spectacle.

For a select few, however, the prospect of full immersion is very real. To make a reservation for a private tour, see the AF New York website or visit them on Instagram. 

About AF New York

For more than 30 years, AF New York (AFNY) has served as a premier source of kitchen, bath, tile, and architectural hardware to the architecture and design community. By offering a selective portfolio of products and specialized services such as sales consultation, technical training, knowledge of industry codes and approvals, and custom design, the company offers a seamless experience from specification to fulfillment.

AF New York would like to thank the vendors who participated in The White Room: Americh, Bain Ultra, Blanco, Century Shower Doors, DaVinci Collection, Duravit, Geberit, Gessi, Graff, Hewi, Infinity Drain, Kaldewei, Keuco, Mila, Native Trails, Schmidlen, Toto, Victoria and Albert, and Villeroy & Boch.