Swimming Pool as Art: Joana Vasconcelos' Colorful Pool Unveiled

An intricate swimming pool created by Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos has been unveiled in Edinburgh.

Swimmers will be able to visit the pool in August after the exhibition is officially opened on Saturday at the Jupiter Artland Foundation.

The nine-metre pool, known as Gateway, was made from more than 11,500 hand-painted tiles using traditional methods at a 100-year-old factory in Vasconcelos’ native Portugal. It will be set within a landscaped garden in west Edinburgh.

The permanent exhibition is being unveiled as part of the Edinburgh Art Festival, running from July 27 to September 29.

Gateway is described as “an experiential space that is inherently social, playful and shared”, playing on the idea of swimming pools as “sites fostering community”.