health
March 9, 2026
‘The smell wasn’t healthy’: the artist who wore 24 nappies to highlight sewage pollution
zack mennell made a costume out of nappies and waded into filthy waterways saying: ‘I’m going to be the parasite.’ The performance artist’s project became more literal than originally intended
TL;DR
- zack mennell created a costume from 24 adult nappies for a performance in the Thames, drawing attention to sewage discharge and societal labeling of benefit claimants.
- The performance artist contracted Weil's disease from rat urine in the water, making the work more literal than intended.
- mennell's art explores themes of pollution, shame, queerness, disability, and survival, aiming for connection with the audience.
- Upcoming event 'Common Host' in Peckham will feature performances, screenings, and workshops engaging with folklore and ecological decay.
- mennell uses personal experiences, such as psychiatric documents, as material in their art to reframe their relationship with difficult subjects.
- The artist emphasizes the importance of queer community as a source of support and a reason to live.
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