A Geopolitical Pool

22,440 private pools, 1 million square meters of water for private enjoyment, 587 km of pool edges, or a river 163 km long if we lined them all up. Yet, we are in one of Spain's most water-scarce areas.

This research reveals layers of information not only about swimming pools but also about: speculative land value, territorial policies, traditional orchards, displaced lands, hedonistic practices, second homes, and tourism. We find ourselves in a territory that has transformed over the last 50 years. While water has traditionally been used for irrigating orchards, the trend in recent decades has also been to use it for private enjoyment.

The private pool as a status symbol that also acquires the ability to be a marker of the lifestyle that developers propose and sell in the Vega Baja.

A research/performative project by Diego Abellán and Joaquín Lucas.