museo della merda shits-out collection of dung-made products

museo della merda shits-out collection of dung-made products
all images courtesy of museo de la merda / by henrik blomqvist

located in a neo-renaissance style palazzo in via santa marta in milan, the shit museum has chosen the storica società di incoraggiamento arti & mestieri (SIAM) in co-production with 5Vie art + design, to present their first collection of products made of a plaster that comes from dung. the poop used to create the raw material comes from the castelbosco farm, in the province of piacenza, northen italy, from 2,500 pedigree bovines that produce milk for grana padano cheese. the products showcased are the result of a conversation between gianantonio locatelli, the owner of castelbosco and driving ideological force behind the museum, and the architect luca cipelletti, who is also the museum’s designer and creative director.

tableware created with a raw material made of dung

flowerpots, vases, plates, tiles, and other iconic objects turn shit into everyday contemporary living elements where the concepts of transformation, sustainability and creation coexist. the courtyard of the palazzo opens the show with a room that emerges from the floor, with bricks and tiles in ‘merdacotta’, the material made largely of dry shit and, to a lesser degree, of clay. products for the home are displayed on the floor, both for interiors and exteriors. at the far end, outside the room, a toilet stands alone.

the products are the result of a conversation between gianantonio locatelli and luca cipelletti

the exhibition continues with a projection of photographs by henrik blomqvist and a stop motion animation. in the center, the museum’s homage to piero manzoni: a pyramid of six cans, all made from mercacotta, recall the artist’s famous work ‘merda di artista’, but this time eight times larger than the original ones. as the user continues around the space, different pieces that have in common the same material, make sure all bases are covered.