[Image: Photo by Gigi Cifali; view larger].
There was an interesting overlap the other week between Time Out London‘s cover story, “Swim City,” about London’s “best pools, ponds and lidos,” and Polar Inertia‘s newest issue featuring beautiful photographs of abandoned swimming pools throughout the greater London area.
[Image: Photo by Gigi Cifali; view larger].
“Great pools?” Time Out asked. “From marble-clad baths dripping in history to modern leisure centres echoing with lifeguards’ whistles, London is swimming in them.”
Except, of course, many of its pools are also drained and forgotten.
[Image: Photo by Gigi Cifali; view larger].
The photos here are all by Gigi Cifali, who originally trained as a topographer, from a series called “Absence of Water.” The images document the disused pools of London – and there are many more of these photos to be seen over at Polar Inertia or on Cifali’s own website.
[Images: Photos by Gigi Cifali; view larger: top and bottom].
I’m reminded, though, of a great line from J.G. Ballard’s novel Empire of the Sun:
Jim watched Mr. Maxted sway along the tiled verge of the empty swimming pool, curious to see if he would fall in. If Mr. Maxted was always accidentally falling into swimming pools, as indeed he always was, why did he only fall into them when they were filled with water?
Why, indeed.
(All photos by Gigi Cifali).
Those are some gorgeous swimming pools (or pictures. or both). I haven’t read ballard (seen the movie, though), but it reminded me of “Teddy”, a novel by Salinger…
here’s the link:
http://www.freeweb.hu/tchl/salinger/teddy.html
Gorgeous. Reminds me of the now neglected new york pools of Moses.
For more london aquatic fun (if you haven’t posted them already):
http://www.dezeen.com/2008/06/22/flooded-london-by-squintopera-2/
The indoor pools you show look like they’d be well worth restoring to service.
Another swimming pool, equally abandoned by swimmers, but maintained in pristine perfection: the Hurst Castle indoor pool.
I find it slightly annoying that you’re attributing all these examples to London… Victoria Baths is definitely in Manchester!
Joe, I’m sorry you find it “annoying” that I was under the impression that these photos were all taken around London.
Sorry, my tone was a bit off there… put it down to my Manc-o-centric psyche…
http://www.victoriabaths.org.uk/
No worries.
I need to read up on Manchester baths, I guess…!
This is all sublime, please, geoff, look at this artist’s website(http://www.louisethomas.org/home.htm) , she dwells and works close to London, and specilises in painting Swimming pools among other things, abandoned and beautiful edifices such as Mussolinis Holiday camps, and English Lidos. In fact she is exhibiting in London at the moment, I really compel you to see her work, she is indeed for me one of the most exciting painters in Britain at the moment, my gosh it is true….She’s also a friend, so no byass there…
Reminds me of an incredible gallery I visited outside of Lille, France. In Roubaix called “la piscine” I believe. Its in an old swimming hall converted to an art gallery. Incredible space.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomskitomski/348062213/
I love the nostalgia of deserted public places.
Would have been great if you had the addresses of these places with the pictures.