about
Schwimmverein Donaukanal shares and promotes the pleasure of swimming in the Donaukanal.
Looking back to a long history of swimming in the Donaukanal we re–actviate this activity through our practice of urban swimming. By documenting these swimming experiences and visualising them through online and in-situ mapping of the area as well as archiving of historical data and interviews with passionate swimmers we open up the conversation on the social and political dimensions of swimming and bathing in Vienna. We explore the history of oppression of the individual body, the development of hygiene norms, of infrastructures and of various social groups that enjoyed swimming in the Kanal over the years.
Schwimmverein Donaukanal is a fluid structure that aims to weave a social fabric around the practice of urban swimming and hopes to encourage citizens to practice their right to swim in the city – for free – an opportunity of recreation in the growing and warming city of Vienna. The safety of swimming in the grey area of city regulations deeply relies on the self-responsible individuals. Only when we citizens learn to read the Kanal through our senses and embodied experiences the joy of open water swimming in an urban environment unfolds.
team
Amelie Schlemmer – Ana Mumzlade – Amanda Sperger – Fabian Ritzi
collaborators
Social Design Studio, die angewandte, Vienna
KUNST HAUS Wien – Museum Hundertwasser
Swimmers
Jakob . Noa . Valerian . Lauro . Neslihan .
contact
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schwimmvereindonaukanal@gmail.com
ig: schwimmvereindonaukanal