MUSINGS: JASON DECAIRES TAYLOR AND UNDERWATER MUSEUMS!

WALK OF FAME

BY: AMANDA BARBOSA

Just recently, I stumbled upon a really fascinating story about underwater sculptures created by Jason deCaires Taylor, a marine conservationist, underwater photographer, scuba diver instructor and sculptor. His work is really inspiring and is not only visually-stunning but is also thought-provoking and seeks to preserve marine life.

Jason deCaires Taylor. Source.

Taylor is the first to imagine and create an underwater museum of sculptures. The first one opened off the west coast of Grenada in 2006. It is actually considered one of the Top 25 Wonders of the World. Another major project of his opened in 2009 and is called “Museo Subacuático de Arte” or MUSA, located off the coast of Cancun, Mexico. On display, are over 500 pieces! Currently, he is working off the coast of Spain’a Canary Islands in Lanzarote. It is called “Museo Atlantico.”

To make his sculptures, Taylor uses non-toxic material. His goals are to protect underwater habitats and to create spaces for various sea life forms to call home. Many of the sculptures have even formed into artificial coral reefs. However, his projects are also commentaries on political, social and environmental issues. For example, in Lanzarote, Taylor has included a sculpted boat with 13 people as a tribute to the Syrian refugees. Another example consists of a sculpture of a man sitting on a couch in front of a television. With this piece, Taylor is demonstrating our failure to acknowledge environmental issues.

Let the sculptures speak for themselves. Here are a few images (for more information and to see more of Taylor’s work/projects, click here):