Art and Museums have no bounds, and the artistic whelm brings us to the depths of the mysterious ocean. A few underwater museums have emerged and have piqued the interest of several museums and art enthusiasts. With a background of the tinted deep blue of the ocean, these exhibits have developed their own identity and brought to life some of the most dreams humans could dream of; here are some worth visiting.
Jason deCaires Talyor
Born in 1974, Jason deCaires Taylor MRSS, British Sculptor, Professor, Environmentalist and Professional underwater photographer, is the first of several artists to work on a shift from land-based sculptures to underwater, mixing marine elements and his sculptures. These works are exhibited in several global spaces, predominantly displaying submerged and tidal marine conditions. Working over the past 17 years, he gained recognition in 2006 with his exhibits in the world’s first underwater museum in Grenada, West Indies. He has since produced 1200 underwater sculptures and the public terrestrial around the globe, inviting several visitors every week.
Museum of Underwater Art, Townsville and John Brewer Reef, Australia
Opened in 2020, the Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA) lies along the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. It features the artwork of Jason deCaires Taylor. The museum focuses on the blended realm of art, culture and research. It promotes some exquisite exhibits, encourages a new environment for marine life and adds on as a marine laboratory.
Snorkel or dive through the water to experience the beauty of Coral Greenhouses and Ocean Sentinels. Surrounded by astonishingly beautiful gardens, it has been an architectural marvel. On the other hand, Ocean Sentinels hold sculptures designed by the artist to acknowledge the work of several marine scientists or conservationists, paying tribute to their work towards the conservation of the Coral Barrier Reef. It is a seamless collection of human scriptures and the ocean’s elements, making it a unique blend of art and science. Lastly, the mystic of the Ocean Siren, a site best viewed at the wee hours of dawn, is of a 12-year-old Takoda Johnson, a local of the Wulgurukaba people and traditional owner of one of the local lands. Swimming around these mesmerizing beauties is an adventure to be marked on bucket lists, an opportunity to be noticed.
The Underwater Museum Of Cannes, France
One of his first installations, over four years, in the Mediterranean Sea, consisting of six 3D portraits weighing 10 tonnes and two meters tall each, at the Lérins Islands, Sainte-Marguerite, off the coast of Cannes, France. At a depth of 3-4 meters, these artworks lie between the white sand and the dancing posidonia seagrass meadows in the southern part of the island. It is protected and near the shore, making it easily accessible and quite a spot for snorkelling. As unique as these sculptures are, they also serve an ecological purpose. They are a preferred haven for aquatic life as they are made of particular marine material. Fish, corals, shells, and algae gradually revitalize the area. These museums intend for tourists to “foster a sense of care” for marine species and get a greater appreciation for their worth, given that human activity endangers ocean habitats.
Museo Atlántico Lanzarote, Spain
Situated within the UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, Lanzarote, in the Atlantic Ocean, Museo Atlántico is the first in European waters. After over three years of construction and planning, 300 life-size casts were placed on a barren seedbed. Inaugurated in January 2017, the exhibits highlighted the social and political divisions of the present.
The Raft of Lampedusa, carrying 13 refugees to the future unknown, drew inspiration from Théodore Géricault’s Raft of the Medusa, depicting the drowning hopes of sailors shipwrecked. At the same time, Fortress Europe refuses and withdraws operations by building barriers and turning away.
Crossing the Rubicon includes 35 people walking towards a wall that leads them to a place of no return, with their minds distracted or on their phones.The pieces create a powerful visual interplay between art and nature. They highlight concerns about the risks the world’s seas are currently confronting and contest the commercialization and differentiation of the planet’s natural resources.
Molinere Bay Underwater Sculpture Park, Grenada
Labelled as the first of its kind, Molinere Bay Underwater Sculpture Park was also one of Jason deCaires Taylor’s first projects and is listed as one of National Geographic’s 25 Wonders of the World. Spread over 800 square metres and located between natural rock formations on sand patches and gullies, he portrays his 75 works at a depth of 8 metres. The placement of these artworks has provided a new spot for the growth of marine life after the devastating damage from Hurricane Ivan in 2004.
Vicissitudes, a well-known piece, depicts a circle of kids holding hands and staring into nutrient-rich ocean currents. Cast from kids from different backgrounds, they stand for perseverance and solidarity. They serve as an illustration of how the nutrients we ingest sculpt and define us.
In The Lost Correspondent, a man is shown using a typewriter while at a desk. The desktop is covered in newspaper articles from the 1970s, some recounting events from Grenada’s pre-revolutionary past. These pieces highlighted how communication systems have evolved. The Molinere Bay Underwater Sculpture Park welcomed 27 new works of art in 2023. Taylor erected new versions of The Lost Correspondent and Unstill Life and produced a set of twenty-five sculptures titled The Coral Carnival.
References:
- Underwater Sculpture by Jason deCaires Taylor. (n.d.). Home. [online] Available at: https://underwatersculpture.com.
- Lemmin-Woolfrey, U. (2021). The World’s 7 Most Amazing Underwater Museums. [online] TravelAwaits. Available at: https://www.travelawaits.com/2716996/worlds-most-amazing-underwater-museums/.
- Queensland. (n.d.). Everything you need to know about the Museum of Underwater Art. [online] Available at: https://www.queensland.com/in/en/places-to-see/experiences/great-barrier-reef/museum-of-underwater-art
- en.cannes-france.com. (n.d.). The underwater eco-museum, an unusual ecological exploration. |. [online] Available at: https://en.cannes-france.com/discover-visit/lerins-islands/sainte-marguerite-island/underwater-ecomuseum/
