Underwater Gallery

Generally when one hears about a man-made object on the bottom of the ocean floor, particularly a work of art, one will assume that it made its way there by accident. And, in a typical art gallery, in an effort to minimize damaging effects on the artwork, signs are posted reading “do not touch” and “no food or drink.”  One artist, Jason deCaires Taylor is challenging these conventions in his underwater sculpture installations, although, unless you’re a fish the “do not touch” rule still applies.

Taylor’s sculptures function as anchors for artificial coral reefs – artificial in the sense that coral couldn’t develop on the locations before, because there were no surfaces stable enough to support its growth. In some of the installations, coral began to colonize the sculptures naturally, while in others, already damaged or fragmented pieces of coral were “planted” in holes in the sculptures to give them a chance at new life.

Ever-changing, each sculpture functions as a piece of “living” art – its appearance in a constant state of metamorphosis due to the organisms whose life it supports. In some of the pieces, coral growth appears sporadic and untamed, but in others, such as “La Jardinera del la Experanza” and “Hombre en Llamas,” it is clear that the artist had a fairly specific plan in mind for coral growth.

Along with his underwater pieces and utilizing the same artistic principles, Taylor has started to experiment with “living” art out of the water. His shore-bound installation consists of a hollowed out sculpture filled with soil, compost, and seeds. The piece is covered with holes that plant life may grow through, so the sculpture will be in a constant state of growth and change with the seasons.

If you would like to check out Taylor’s work for yourself, click here to be directed to his website.