Bath Time is an interactive web-based artwork by Ellie Harrison commissioned by the Transition art programme at Victoria Baths in Manchester. In order to research for the piece, Ellie spent two weeks in residence at the baths from 5th - 18th June 2004. There she spent time exploring the building and delving into the archives held at the baths office.
Bath Time brings to life facts and figures about Victoria Baths and its history. You can check the time on the Cubicle Clock made from the numbers on the baths’ old changing cubicles. You can access the Victoria Baths memory archive using the random memory generator. And calculate how old you are to the nearest second and find out how long Victoria Baths had been open for when you were born, amongst many other things. Click on the link to the right under ‘Further Reference’ to launch Bath Time (requires Flash Player).
Channel Swimming Challenge
As well as producing Bath Time, Ellie also worked on two additional projects for Transition. The first is an ongoing community project called the Channel Swimming Challenge, which is open to anyone around the world to take part in. The goal is to swim the 34 kilometre distance across the English Channel, by recording and adding together the number of lengths you swim at your local pool.
A special Channel Swimming Challenge Logbook was published to coincide with the launch of Bath Time. It features everything you need to know to get started with your challenge plus plenty of room to log all your swims. Order your own 16 page Channel Swimming Challenge Logbook (A6 size) for only £2 GBP here.
Once you have completed your Challenge, you can return the Logbook to the address below and your name and challenge details will be added to the Channel Swimming Challenge Hall of Fame. NOTE CHANGE OF ADDRESS - please do not send any completed Logbooks to the old PO Box address printed in the Logbook. Only send completed Logbooks to the correct address below:
Channel Swimming Challenge
c/o Ellie Harrison
Flat 2
41 Lansdowne Crescent
Glasgow
G20 6NH
Victoria Baths Challenge
The final project Ellie completed for Transition was the Victoria Baths Challenge - a multi-curricular workshop for local primary school children. The workshop took place on 30th June 2004 with 24 children from Plymouth Grove Primary School in Manchester. You can view images from the workshop by clicking on the link to the right under ‘Further Reference’.
Bath Time and the Channel Swimming Challenge were officially launched on 3rd September 2004 as part of the exhibition For the Time Being: A Promise of Progress, which took place at Victoria Baths and also featured new work by Tod Hanson, Lizzie Hughes, Joanna Karolini, Claudia Pilsl and Humberto Vélez.
