Bath-house revived as an art gallery

A former bath-house that has been closed to the public for nearly a quarter of a century has been turned into a temporary art gallery.

The art deco Poplar Baths in east London are among six venues for new sculptures commissioned by the Create organisation and the London 2012 Festival.

The building has been brought back to life for the first time since 1988 with a series of brightly coloured inflatable works by London-based artists Anthea Hamilton and Nicholas Byrne. The projects have been programmed by the Frieze Foundation across all six Olympic boroughs and are jointly called Frieze Projects East.

Create director Hadrian Garrard said they hoped “to inspire public involvement and pleasure”. Most of the works are on show until the end of August, but Children, a structure by Gary Webb, will be a permanent addition to Charlton Park.