Lifelike Human Sculptures Are Submerged in Underwater Museum at the Great Barrier Reef [Interview]
By Jessica Stewart on June 28, 2020
For over 10 years, sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor has dedicated his artistic practice to the enhancement and conservation of the underwater world. He has created underwater museums in Europe and spread his art throughout the Caribbean, and his latest project takes him to the Earths most famed marine ecosystem.
Australias Great Barrier Reef is the worlds largest coral reef and, now, Taylor will have a part in raising more awareness about its beauty thanks to his work with the Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA).
In collaboration with scientists at James Cook University and the Australian Institute of Marine Science, Taylor spent years gaining permissions to install the first artificial reef in these waters. The result is Coral Greenhouse, a collection of hyperrealistic underwater sculptures inspired by the communitys youth. Its these young people that Taylor hopes will become engaged and take their role as the future conservators of this precious ecosystem seriously.
This work is coupled with Ocean Siren, an interactive sculpture that stands as a beacon just beyond Townsvilles Strand Jetty. Rising from the water, the figure was modeled after 12-year-old Takoda Johnson, a local indigenous girl from the Wulgurukaba tribe whose families once owned local lands. The sculpture changes color in conjunction with the oceans temperatures and was made possible by close collaboration with scientists.
More:
https://mymodernmet.com/jason-decaires-taylor-underwater-museum-great-barrier-reef/