First Underwater Art Museum Displays Hyperrealistic Human Sculptures

By Emily on February 6, 2016

Off a small Spanish Island in the Atlantic ocean called Lanzarote, a magnificent surprise awaits divers. 14 meters beneath the surface sits the spectacular Museo Atlantico. Artist Jason deCaires Taylor has created the first underwater contemporary art museum in Europe.

He is known for expressing his views of current issues through his work, this piece is no different. Taylor has created a series of lifelike sculptures that seem to inhabit the ocean floor. This new large-scale project is divided into two distinctive installations and alludes to the state of the worldwide refugee dilemma. The first section of this grandiose work is an installation called The Rubicon. It shows a group of 35 people walking towards a gate.

They are all in different poses representing everyday activities, looking down at devices, looking at each other, some looking ahead, all facing the great unknown. deCaires’ second section, entitled The Raft of Lampedusa, is representative of the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis. The heart wrenching piece depicts desperate figures waiting in a small boat for help. The artist hopes that those who see his work will see it not as a reminder of what has already happened, but remind us that we are all responsible for each other as citizens in this global community in which we live.

On February 25, this exhibit will officially open it waters to interested snorkelers and divers. For a breathtaking view of the artists work, visit his website: Underwatersculpture.com