Out of Order: A multimedia exhibition depicts the reality of women living without access to a toilet

Around the world, a third of women are living without access to proper sanitation facilities. Top female artists from the UK and Sierra Leone have teamed up with WaterAid for a toilet takeover installation, to raise awareness and funds

( Hawa Bangura)

A group of female artists, illustrators and singers from the UK and Sierra Leone have come together to create Out of Order – a multimedia exhibition exploring the impact that a lack of decent, private toilets has on a third of women across the globe.

The exhibition, held at London’s Old Truman Brewery in Shoreditch in collaboration with international development charity WaterAid, will be open to the public from Thursday 16 November, culminating on World Toilet Day on Sunday 19 November.

Four of the UK’s rising creative talents – Eve Lloyd Knight, Emma Shoard, Molly Fairhurst and Nina Cosford – will be taking over four toilet cubicle installations, to examine the issues faced by women living in some of the world’s poorest communities without access to proper toilet facilities.

Through their own characteristic styles, these beautiful, quirky, sometimes hard-hitting works will capture the realities of life without a toilet, exploring issues including the impact on education and health, coping with periods and dealing with harassment and violence.

Nina Cosford, 29, whose charming, playful and revealing depictions of young women navigating the highs and lows of modern life have won her a legion of nearly 100,000 loyal Instagram followers – including Girls writer, creator and actress,Lena Dunham – was keen to get involved.

Nina, whose work will look at the experiences of women on their period, said:

“Being on your period can be difficult in the best of circumstances, whether you’re dealing with terrible mood-swings or unbearable pains and cramps. But imagine that without the privacy and dignity of a humble toilet cubicle, or even proper sanitary products.

“To me, it is so out of order that a third of women in the world are struggling to manage their periods without access to a decent toilet. It’s a heartbreaking and shocking statistic that needs to be addressed, which is why, when WaterAid approached me, I knew I had to get involved.”

She added: “I hope my work and this exhibition – which is showcasing some extraordinary talent from the UK and Sierra Leone – will really resonate with the public and help raise awareness of this important issue.”

Out of Order will be at 11 Dray Walk, Old Truman Brewery, from Thursday 16 November – Sunday 19 November from 11am-7pm. Free Admission. Donations are welcome and every £1 donated will be doubled by the UK government, up to £5m, until 31 January 2018