This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American
Every September we here at Symbiartic take the opportunity to dish up a daily dose of sciart featuring all the incredible artists we haven’t been able to get to during the year. This year is no different. Each day this month you can expect a different piece of science art that showcases the incredible depth and variety that exists under the umbrella of sciart. And of course, as always, we’ll give you a glimpse of the work we have been creating ourselves as artists in our own right, since all three of us - Glendon, Katie, and I - are practicing artists. Ready? Let’s do this.
Since we started this blog in 2011, I have been contemplating one of my very favorite science artists, unsure of how exactly to introduce him and his work. Sometimes art moves you so deeply, it’s difficult to come up with words that adequately convey your admiration. But there is no doubt this work is revolutionary in its imagination and scope - arguably the most original conservation art I’ve seen. I’ll open the September SciArt Blitz with Jason deCaires Taylor’s latest ambitious project: the first underwater museum in the Atlantic Ocean. His museum will consist of dozens of cast concrete figures submerged off the coast of the Canary Islands in 12 meters of water, forming the basis for an artificial reef.
Local residents and tourists served as models for the sculptures that will ultimately be submerged to form the first underwater museum in the Atlantic Ocean. A work in progress by Jason deCaires Taylor.
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By bringing his art out of the galleries and into the natural environs Taylor aims to create opportunities for people to interact with nature and gain an appreciation for the oceans and how climate change and human activity is affecting sea life. In addition, his underwater spectacles relieve pressure on fragile natural habitats, drawing tourists away from stressed and damaged existing reefs, allowing them time to recover, while seeding new reefs that will exist for years to come.
Taylor has created similar underwater installations off the coasts of Grenada, Mexico, and the Bahamas. Tomorrow I’ll feature one of his more mature installations as they inevitably become swallowed by sea life.
Jason deCaires Taylor: website | Facebook | Twitter
Curious to see the inspiring artists we’ve featured in the past? Check out previous years’ galleries:
