Jason de Caires Taylor Underwater Sculptor
Born in 1974 to an English father and Guyanese mother, Taylor grew up in Europe and Asia, where he spent much of his early childhood exploring the coral reefs of Malaysia. Educated in the South East of England, Taylor graduated from the London Institute of Arts in 1998 with a BA Honours in Sculpture and went on to become a fully qualified diving instructor and underwater naturalist. With over 17 years diving experience under his belt, Taylor is also an award winning underwater photographer, famous for his dramatic images, which capture the metamorphosing effects of the ocean on his evolving sculptures.
In 2006, Taylor founded and created the world's first underwater sculpture park. Situated off the coast of Grenada in the West Indies it is now listed as one of the Top 25 Wonders of the World by National Geographic. His latest creation is MUSA (Museo Subaquatico de Arte), a monumental museum with a collection of over 450 public sculptural works, submerged off the coast of Cancun, Mexico; described by Forbes as one of the world's most unique travel destinations. Both these ambitious, permanent public works have a practical, functional aspect, facilitating positive interactions between people and fragile underwater habitats while at the same relieving pressure on natural resources.
Taylor's art is like no other, a paradox of creation, constructed to be assimilated by the ocean and transformed from inert objects into living breathing coral reefs, portraying human intervention as both positive and life-encouraging. Numerous publications and documentaries have featured his extraordinary work, including the BBC, CNN, USA Today, the Guardian, Vogue, New Scientist and the Discovery Channel, yet nothing can quite do justice to the ephemeral nature of his art; for each actual visit to his sites is both unique and subject to the dynamic, fluctuating environment of the ocean.
The majority of Taylor’s work takes the form of human figurative sculptures housed beneath the ocean. Since 2006 his work has featured in numerous art and environmental publications and in 2008 he was awarded membership to The Art and Science Collaborations Inc. In a recent article with Environmental Graffiti, when questioned as to why he uses human figures for his artificial reefs, he is quoted as stating “I am trying to portray how human intervention or interaction with nature can be positive and sustainable, an icon
of how we can live in a symbiotic relationship with nature.
Finally I believe we have to address some of the crucial problems occurring in our oceans at this moment in time and by using human forms I can connect with a wider audience”. His choice of environment in which to exhibit his work is unique. Water causes the sculptures to have their appearance altered because in water three-dimensional motion is enhanced, while objects appear closer, 25% larger and light refracts at different rates with the differing depth of the water. Thus Taylor believes the viewing potential is amplified by multiplying the number of angles to view the figures therefore augmenting the overall experience of discovering of his work amongst a vast ocean.In an interview with Diver Magazine he commented that “Buoyancy and weightlessness enable a detached physical experience that’s perceptual and personal. As time passes and the works change, they reshape and redefine the underwater landscape in unpredictable ways”.In the last five years, Taylor has gained worldwide acknowledgement for assimilating his art with the conservation of Marine life in developing underwater artificial coral reef installations. The aim behind these artificial living creations is to discharge tourists away from the natural coral reef that are already suffering effects from marine pollution, global warming and overfishing and therefore providing the opportunity for rehabilitation
Jason de Caires Taylor Underwater Sculptures
Underwater sculpture (Grenada)
Jason deCaires Taylor Interview with Miranda Krestovnikoff
Jason deCaires Taylor and Museo Subaquatico de Arte
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