Introduction: Throughout the centuries, people have creatively utilized bodily excretions. Given the complex composition of urine, it has been used in different cultures and times to change the appearance of pigments. We sought to examine artisan and artist use of urine in manipulating the appearance of their productions. Methods: Primary and secondary sources describing the uses of urine to manipulate artistic outcomes were examined. Results: Traditional textile producing Peruvian communities in the Sacred Valley have unlocked secrets to producing vivid colors through natural dyes available in their region. In order to achieve vibrant reds, cochineal insects are crushed to a powder, which is then added to water. Yarn is then added to the water, and the mixture boiled, resulting in pinks to deep reds depending on the timing and concentration. Boiling the dyed yarn after in a young child’s urine will alter the color to a deep purple. Urine is collected from young boys due to the ease of collection when compared with females. Urine from children is used to prevent the impurities that may be found in adult urine. Pop artist Andy Warhol also used urine as a way to manipulate the colors of his art; though he preferred urine with different impurities in order to create a variety of outcomes. In the late 1970s, Warhol sought new techniques to recapture some excitement in his work and turned to abstractionism. In his series Oxidation, Warhol would lay canvases on the floor of his studio, coat them in copper paint, and invite his assistants and guests to urinate on the canvases. The uric acid would react with the copper, forming mineral salts. The copper paint would thus develop reds, browns, blues, greens, and blacks. Over time, Warhol would encourage his collaborators to vary their food and fluid intake to alter the outcomes. Warhol was particularly fond of the color variations arising from a particular assistant’s excrement, which he attributed to a high level of B vitamin supplementation. Conclusions: Urine has been used as a method of changing the appearance of pigments in arts and crafts. In addition to evaluating differences in outcomes due to various impurities, further studies to evaluate the impact various urologic conditions have on the color-changing capabilities of urine could prove interesting. SOURCE OF Funding: None
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