First set pieces of the region’s first underwater museum unveiled in Spain’s Canary Islands
Renowned British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor has once again brought his art to life with a unique underwater art installation. Housed on the seafloor of the pristine Los Colorados bay in Lanzarote, Spain, the beautiful sculptures are the first set pieces of the Atlantic Museum – Europe's first underwater museum.
The art pieces are easily accessible to divers and snorkelers of all levels and promoting this unique art form aside, the underwater museum also highlights the importance of protecting the marine environment. The project is designed to increase marine biomass and acts as a breeding site for local species in an area declared as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.
Taylor’s set pieces form the basis of the Atlantic Museum, which will create a large artificial reef made from a series of art installations of high-density, pH-neutral concrete.
Materials are designed to not affect the marine ecosystem or local flora and fauna – art pieces will not have any corrosive metals and materials used in them at all.
It’s not the first time the British artist has brought his creations underwater. Taylor is widely known for his installations in underwater museums in The Bahamas, Cancún and The Antilles. Every piece of art that Taylor has created thus far has been used to highlight “the defense of the oceans” campaign and to transmit a level of critical thinking about the commercialisation of natural resources.
Taylor’s sculptures are submerged at a depth of between 12 and 15 metres and depict scenes from everyday life. Some of the installations that make up the first stage of the Atlantic Museum include “The Rubicón” – a grouping of 35 human figures all walking towards a gate, and “The Raft of the Lampedusa”, a reflection on humanitarian crises based on the work of painter Gericáult.
Other unique installations and sculptures include “Content”, depicting a couple taking a selfie, denoting society’s fascination with new technology and self-obsession, and the hybrid sculptures, that fuses nature and humanity via sculptures depicting half human and cactus, living in harmony.
Photo credits: Canary Islands Tourism Board
