underwater sculpture

 Jak to zwykle bywa w moim prześwietnym życiu odnalazłam coś i niemal zapiszczałam z radochy. Przedstawiam coś co wydaje mi się bardzo ciekawą, a za razem prostą sprawą. Rzeźba podwodna, służąca również jako przestrzeń dla świata zwierząt. Rzeźba, która zmienia się pod wpływem czasu oraz świata podwodnej flory i fauny.
Prezentowany projekt jest chyba najbardziej obszernym projektem artysty, ale nie jedynym. Poniżej zamieszczam nieco więcej o samym artyście Jasonie deCaires Taylor oraz jego projekcie MUSA Museo Subacuático de Arte.
Po więcej odsyłam do oficjalnej strony artysty: http://www.underwatersculpture.com/index.asp

MUSA Museo Subacuático de Arte

In 2009 a monumental underwater museum called MUSA (Museo Subacuático de Arte) was formed in the waters surrounding Cancun, Isla Mujeres and Punta Nizuc. The project founded by Jaime Gonzalez Cano of The National Marine Park, Roberto Diaz of The Cancun Nautical Association and Jason deCaires Taylor consists of over 403 permanent life-size sculptures and is one of the largest and most ambitious underwater artificial art attractions in the world.

The Museum aiming to demonstrate the interaction between art and environmental science forms a complex reef structure for marine life to colonise and inhabit. Each of the sculptures is made from specialized materials used to promote coral life, with the total installations occupying an area of over 420sq metres of barren sea bed and weighing over 180 tons. The Cancun Marine Park is one of the most visited stretches of water in the world with over 750,000 visitors each year, placing immense pressure on its resources. The location of the sculptures promotes the recovery of the natural reefs at it relieves pressure on them by drawing visitors away.

To date the underwater museum comprises of 4 installations; La Jardinera de la Esperanza, Coleccionista de los Sueños, Hombre en Llamas and The Silent Evolution all created by Jason deCaires Taylor. The Silent Evolution, his most ambitious work to date, is a collection of over 400 life-size figurative works, forming a vast gathering of people aiming to define a new era of living in a symbiotic relationship with nature. For more information see The Silent Evolution (pdf).

The third stage of the museum commencing in 2011 will involve commissioning local and international artists to contribute further sculptural installations and host special underwater cultural events celebrating the Arts and Science.

 The National Marine Park of Isla Mujeres, Punta Cancun and Punta Nizuc is located in the northern part of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. The island of Cancun is in the shape of a “7” and is bordered to the north by the Bahia de Mujeres; to the east by the Caribbean Sea; and to the west by the Nichupte Lagoon. Cancun is Mexico’s largest tourist destination and boasts 146 hotels with a total of 28,808 rooms. The sculptures are located within the boundaries of The National Marine Park on sandy areas of substrate close to Isla Mujeres, Punta Cancun and Punta Nizuc.

Jason deCaires Taylor is a man of many identities whose work resonates with the influences of his eclectic life. Growing up in Europe and Asia with his English father and Guyanese mother nurtured his passion for exploration and discovery. Much of his childhood was spent on the coral reefs of Malaysia where he developed a profound love of the sea and a fascination with the natural world. This would later lead him to spend several years working as a scuba diving instructor in various parts of the globe, developing a strong interest in conservation, underwater naturalism and photography. His bond with the sea remains a constant throughout Taylor's life though other key influences are found far from the oceans. During his teenage years, work as a graffiti artist fired his interest in the relationship between art and the environment, fostering an ambition to produce art in public spaces and directing the focus of his formal art training. He graduated in 1998 from the London Institute of Arts, with a B.A. Honours in Sculpture and Ceramics. Later, experience in Canterbury Cathedral taught him traditional stone carving techniques whilst five years working in set design and concert installations exposed him to cranes, lifting, logistics and completing projects on a grand scale.

With this range of experiences he was equipping himself with the skills required to execute the ambitious underwater projects that have made his name. Carving cement instead of stone and supervising cranes while in full scuba gear to create artificial reefs submerged below the surface of the Caribbean Sea, the various strands of his diverse life resolve themselves convincingly in the development of his underwater sculptures. These ambitious, public works have a practical, functional aspect, facilitating positive interactions between people and fragile underwater habitats.

Jason deCaires Taylor has gained significant interest and recognition for his unique work, with articles in over 1000 publications around the world, including National Geographic, Vogue, USA Today, Daily Telegraph and The Guardian. His sculptures have aired on television features and documentaries with CNN, Discovery Channel, BBC, Metropolis Art Lounge and Thalassa. His international reputation was established in May 2006, when he created the world's first underwater sculpture park in Grenada, West Indies, leading to both private and public commissions. Taylor is currently founder and Artistic Director of the Museo Subacuático de Arte (MUSA) in Cancun, Mexico.