Attilio Fiumarella’s photograph of 118 swimmers in the empty gala pool of Moseley Road Baths in Birmingham, taken on 20 July 2014, has become an enduring symbol of community solidarity. The image was part of his first professional photography project, documenting the relationship between the pool community and the Edwardian-era building.
The story behind the shot
Fiumarella moved to Birmingham in 2013 and frequently passed the building on the bus. Intrigued by its three different entrances – once first class, second class and women’s – he decided to investigate. A woman welcomed him inside and explained the history: the pool had served as a casualty station during the second world war and even as a dance hall. The gala pool was already empty, and the council planned to close the baths due to lack of funding.
With a local community bursary from Some Cities, Fiumarella embarked on a collaborative portrait project. The final image was organised in July 2014. The Friends of Moseley Road Baths helped recruit swimmers, and flyers were distributed in the neighbourhood. 118 people turned up to pose in the empty pool.
A challenging shoot
Fiumarella used a large format camera for the first time, relying on a single sheet of film. Ian Edwards from St Paul’s Community Trust coordinated participants with a megaphone, while volunteers built a temporary staircase to help people into the pool. The main challenge was the light: overcast skies delayed the shoot for about an hour. “In the last five minutes, the sun finally appeared and I got the shot,” Fiumarella said.
He references the Terracotta Army as an inspiration for the composition. The image won the Portrait of Humanity prize in 2020 and has since gained renewed attention. “It reflects something about the time we’re living in,” Fiumarella explained. “We need to get together, to show up and to take back power.”
Legacy of the baths
Moseley Road Baths has since secured the final funding needed for restoration, including a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The building is temporarily closed but will reopen with renewed public spaces. Fiumarella sees his photograph as a small contribution to that story. “To me, this photograph simply says: ‘We are here, together, standing up for something we believe in.’”
Attilio Fiumarella is one of the selected photographers in the Royal Photographic Society’s 167th annual international exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery, London, from 7 August to 11 September.
