Home / Arts and Entertainment / Swimmers Save Historic Pool in Stunning Photoshoot
Swimmers Save Historic Pool in Stunning Photoshoot
29 Jul
Summary
- 118 people posed for a historic photo to save Moseley Road Baths.
- The photo, taken in 2014, won Portrait of Humanity in 2020.
- Moseley Road Baths recently secured funding for restoration.
Moseley Road Baths, an Edwardian community building in Birmingham, was the subject of a significant photographic project in July 2014. The gala pool within the building was empty and facing permanent closure due to lack of funding for essential restoration.
Photographer Attilio Fiumarella organized a collaborative project with the local community to capture the spirit of the baths. Despite the challenge of using a large format camera for the first time, 118 swimmers posed in the empty pool for a single shot.
This powerful image, taken on July 20, 2014, became an expression of solidarity, eventually winning the Portrait of Humanity prize in 2020. The photograph is now gaining new attention, seen as an act of resistance.
Recently, Moseley Road Baths has successfully secured the final funding needed for its comprehensive restoration, including a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The building is temporarily closed for these works but is slated to reopen.
