![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvB0QAaTcIVTDrXIzq6L2mxdxa3-Lbx5s6H6Ri6r5g-X9THBNqMXGai9OhatGY6eJRwEYyrWQju3HAggFo2rAZN6VcmBcp00OndhAXeTzvbWp4-8D8lbXegU_v-y6lywoHRTHEPggIbcWd/s400/bunting+poster.jpg)
'Victoria Baths inspired me to create something that recalled childhood memories of swimming at my own local baths in Salford. Unsurprisingly my most vivid memory is when I came close to drowning at the age of 7. Waving cockily to my Mum before diving into the deep end I found myself entangled in my rubber ring, trapped underwater, gasping for air. Luckily Mum was able to translate my SOS and saved me from a watery end. However, the experience left me with an overwhelming fear of water for many years.
'Not Waving but Drowning', a reference to the Stevie Smith poem, acts as a sign to both warn and celebrate. The warning goes out to others like my 7-year-old self, giddy with a false sense of invincibility, to take care, but the sign also celebrates overcoming fear to participate in the joys of swimming, an activity that thankfully no longer fills me with the sense of dread I felt as a child.'
My poster greeting visitors on their approach to the baths (below).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTND130r8YWFYc-ejyLsglph77YTln8JvMUXRPQq3_l4Lb4YgCQM39bFyG4NPwgIX69jwxvdCQY3lpqoBLaxpbjWy_jlHa7MRJc0FY15tZuvmsz0ntfTFmRfRDosSxUlYsG4K4jEhcfyBc/s400/46764_423376667498_640287498_5094768_8225650_n.jpg)
A 'hipstamatic' impression of my piece (below) courtesy of Nathan.
No comments:
Post a Comment