A new Brighton art exhibition has taken inspiration from the booming popularity in wild swimming.
Fabrica is hosting artist Vanessa Daws’ show At Home in the Water, which also takes inspiration from 1920s channel swimmer Mercedes Gleitze.
Mercedes was the first Englishwoman to swim the Channel in 1927 and was a huge celebrity in her day, lauded for her record-breaking endurance swims. With the recent revival of public interest in sea swimming and its health benefits, especially during the pandemic, this has reinvigorated interest in the swimmer and her achievements.
In January this year, a blue plaque was unveiled at Mercedes’ place of birth at 124 Freshfield Road, Brighton.
Vanessa said: “When passing a body of water, be it pond, lake, river or sea, it’s hard for me not to resist the urge to take a swim.
“My work investigates where this drive to swim long distance comes from, the desire to keep on swimming for hours upon hours on end without stopping.
“Is it the sheer thrill of the unknown, to feel the water on our skin, the cold through our body, to adapt our breathing and feel we exist.”
Fabrica director Liz Whitehead said: “In part the film is documentary footage of a marathon swim by Vanessa.
“Vanessa swims continuously, whilst Ruth, plays the pump organ from a boat, accompanying her on her journey.
“The labouring of the pump organ, the pushing of its pedals for hours, mimics the kicking legs of the swimmer.
“Its music, like the swimmer’s movements, is produced through physical exertion, and the regular intake of breath.”
The exhibition will take place from 15 October to 27 November 2022 at Fabrica, Brighton.
How is it swimming through all the sewage?