Art installations are a firm reminder of the beauty and charisma that upholds the world. Nature in itself has frequently displayed its aesthetic excellence, via different means including, snow-capped mountains, vast stretches of golden desserts, or the unfound depths of oceans; beauty prevails everywhere. The same can be said about the vast coral reefs stretching far and beyond in the ocean’s bed. And when paired with man-made art with these natural wonders, it turns out into a more magnificent sight that one can behold.
The thermochromic marvel of Queensland
You might have been spending all your thoughts thinking about what happens if a color-changing statue would ever find its way into the center of an ocean. However, Jason deCaires Taylor a North Queensland immigrant with a degree from the London School of Arts (1998), found out an imaginative way to build a color-changing statue. He made a towering construction that changes its color even after slight fluctuations in water temperature.
The statue, Ocean Siren, is dedicated to the life of a 12-year-old girl, Takoda Johnson. Jason Taylor built the statue, quite high so that it can have a proper view of the Wulgurukuba land of Takoda’s forefathers. With this thermochromic project in mind, Jason Taylor wanted to draw the attention of the world towards the rising ocean temperatures. He also wanted to bring the urban community closer to its natural coral reefs.
Ocean floor art gallery
Taylor managed to excel in creating a novel niche of submerged art in the creative world. About two hours’ ride from Townsville with a boat can take you to the Great Barrier Reef that holds Museum of Underwater Art’s largest installation. The water body chosen for its clear waters and plain ocean floors.
The ‘Coral Greenhouse’ is an accumulation of 20 statutes, portraying students working with corals. Taylor emphasizes that he undertook this specific task to draw more disciples to the vast world of marine science. The Ocean floor gallery in the Great Barrier Reef also serves as a sanctuary for marine inhabitants and a laboratory to maintain pH, water salinity, and oxygen levels.
The installation completed by December 2019 and the schedule to launch it was in April 2020; however, the launch is postponed due to the outbreak of Coronavirus pandemic. After the opening, people would finally be able to enjoy the museum, situated in 60 feet depth of water.
26 Children under the sea
Vicissitudes is another submerged art piece, which is a ring of 26 children submerged 16 feet in the depths of the ocean. It symbolizes the circle of life and reflects the importance of creating a sustainable environment for the future generation. Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park (MUSP) has a total number of 75 extraordinary artworks, including the Vicissitudes. MUSP, the first underwater work of Taylor is near the coasts of Grenada. It launched in 2006 and made all the imperative changes in the art world.
Impact on Taylor’s career
The MUSP museum boosted Taylor’s career, and he also submerged a work of 400 unique statues in a Mexican sea including the famous artwork – The Silent Evolution. The Museo Subacuático de Arte, of Cancún, is another bizarre artificial reef. He also worked in the Bahamas, Maldives, and Spain and finally reached the Great Barrier Reef to install his latest artwork.
Talking about his latest work in the Great Barrier Reef, Jason Taylor declined the general assumption of people that coral reefs are bleached. He proceeded and said that John Brewer Reef is remarkably one of the healthiest coral reefs, he has ever seen. Do pay a visit if you ever get nearby these artistic wonders!