site-specific program of water-based events and interventions at Moseley Road Baths, Birmingham, UK, presented as part of Fierce Festival
2014
Since October 2013, Delaney and Stewart collaborated with Moseley Road Baths and members of its community (such as Friends of Moseley Road Baths, Ort Cafe, Soesen Edan of The Musery) to develop a series of site and community specific interventions across the building.
The Parting Waters program included 4 central works/events that were interwoven into the daily schedule of the site over the course of a week. The project aimed to highlight one of Birmingham’s most important community buildings and was developed in response to the local community's widespread opposition to the baths scheduled closure in 2015.
Sound Bath
An experiential live sound performance with local sound therapist/musician Soesen Edan (The Musery) in the swimming pool. A selection of singing bowls and instruments were played in the pool creating a sound bath of harmonic vibrations for visitors to float through.
Deep End Dedications
A series of underwater playlists made specifically for the Moseley Road Baths’ swimming pool. The mixes incorporated original soundworks and curated mixes by Delaney & Stewart, as well as song requests collected from the Baths’ swimmers and staff. The playlists, only audible underwater, were played over 3 days, interwoven into the pool's regular schedule.
Night Swimmers
A video installation projecting a continuous flow of swimmers upon the Moseley Road Baths’ Grade II* listed façade. Anonymous swimmers drift weightlessly across the building, occupying a disorientating and dreamlike space, which passersby can encounter incidentally from the street.
Floating Forum
A themed discussion held in the swimming pool, facilitated by the artists. Using water as a medium for exchange, the Floating Forum explored how thinking and interaction change in different environments, such as public space. The discussion drew from the site, its swimmers and the collective experience of being in water. With the imminent closure of Moseley Road Baths, Floating Forum presented a chance to contemplate the future of such public sites, while bathing together in history.
- More about the project, site and program on the Parting Waters Website
- Parting Waters review on this is tomorrow by Anna Falcini, 2014
Night Swimmers - Laura Delaney & Lisa Stewart - 5 minute excerpt from Lisa Stewart on Vimeo.
Night Swimmers - video installation on the façade of Moseley Road Baths
'Sound Bath' - documentation from live performance with Soesen Edan
'Sound Bath' - documentation from live performance with Soesen Edan
'Sound Bath' - documentation from live performance with Soesen Edan
'Deep End Dedications' - underwater stills of where the soundscapes were played
'Deep End Dedications' - underwater stills of where the soundscapes were played
'Floating Forum' - documentation from themed discussion held in main pool of Moseley Road Baths. Photo credit: James Allan
'Floating Forum' - documentation from themed discussion held in main pool of Moseley Road Baths. Photo credit: James Allan
