Visual artist Rhona Taylor will present an exhibition Immersive: Exploring the Commie Pool at the Royal Commonwealth Pool’s café from 6-22 June 2025, as part of the Architecture Fringe festival.
The exhibition showcases original prints that delve into the architectural and social significance of one of Edinburgh’s most iconic public spaces.
Immersive features a collection of original prints by Taylor that explore the Royal Commonwealth Pool’s role as both an architectural landmark and a vital community hub. The exhibition forms part of the artist’s broader research project examining swimming pools as social, public and cultural spaces, with particular focus on their architecture, history, and contemporary uses.
Rhona Taylor said: “The prints in Immersive have developed from research into the building, its development, and its changing use since it was built for the 1970 Commonwealth Games.
“I love swimming in the Commie, so it’s been great fun digging into the archives to find out more about some of the things that went on behind the scenes when it was built.”
The exhibition is presented in partnership with Edinburgh Leisure, which operates the Royal Commonwealth Pool. This collaboration highlights the organisation’s commitment to supporting arts and culture within the community spaces they manage.
“We’re delighted to partner with Rhona Taylor for this fascinating exploration of our building and its place in Edinburgh’s cultural landscape,” said Ed Bethune, Operations Manager at the Royal Commonwealth Pool.
“The Royal Commonwealth Pool has been serving our community for over 50 years, and it’s wonderful to see an artist capture both its architectural significance and its ongoing role as a space where people come together for health, recreation, and community connection.”
The Architecture Fringe, running from 6-22 June, celebrates the intersection of architecture, design, and public space across Edinburgh. Ms Taylor’s exhibition fits perfectly within this framework, examining how built environments shape community interaction and social experience.
Rhona Taylor is a visual artist based in Edinburgh whose studio practice encompasses painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking and installations.
She is a member at Edinburgh Printmakers, where she creates her screenprints. Her current research focuses on swimming pools as social, public and cultural spaces in Scotland and internationally.
The exhibition is supported by Edinburgh Leisure, Creative Scotland, and the City of Edinburgh Council through the Visual Artist and Craft Makers Awards (VACMA) Edinburgh.
Immersive: Exploring the Commie Pool will be on display at the Royal Commonwealth Pool café throughout the Architecture Fringe period, with the venue located at 21 Dalkeith Road, Edinburgh EH16 5BB.
