Selected to represent Great Britain in Video Art at the Paris 2024 Cultural Olympiad, Polluted Pool will be exhibited at Château de Montsoreau, a UNESCO-certified Museum of Contemporary Art, from June 14th to August 11, 2024. This work leverages the global platform of the Olympic Games to address the urgent issue of water pollution. As part of the ongoing project Terminal Landscapes, it examines climate change as a manifestation of ecosystem degradation caused by human activity.
Polluted Pool reflects on the Anthropocene epoch, where human impact has reshaped Earth’s ecological systems. Responding to alarming reports of regulatory failures in managing critical pollution events—including oil spills, slurry, and sewage contamination—the piece uses the motif of a derelict Olympic swimming pool to embody the tensions between human achievement and environmental neglect. This audiovisual installation provokes audiences to consider the paradox of celebrating progress against a backdrop of ecological collapse.
The video is a result of interdisciplinary research, combining video, sound, and node-based software to create an immersive visual and sonic landscape. This methodological approach merges ecological research with advanced digital practices, fostering a multi-sensory experience that deepens engagement with the work’s critical themes.
Presented through an open Cultural Olympiad call by Philippe Méaille, Président de l’Association Culturelle du Château de Montsoreau, and Florence Dabin, Présidente du Département de Maine-et-Loire, the work underscores the transformative potential of art in addressing global challenges.
Combining design-led research with immersive installations, Polluted Pool exemplifies how creative practice can bridge disciplines to foster dialogue on critical issues. By confronting viewers with the realities of environmental degradation, the work seeks to inspire collective responsibility and provoke action for ecological restoration.
https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/the-games/celebrating/cultural-olympiad
