In ‘Ocean Sentinels’, Jason deCaires Taylor Installs Eight Hybrid Sculptures As Coral Guards — Colossal
Art
#climate crisis #coral #Jason deCaires Taylor #ocean #sculpture
All images © Jason deCaires Taylor, shared with permission
A new cast of hybrid characters continues Jason deCaires Taylorthe effort to revitalize the Great Barrier Reef. Recently installed off the coast of TownsvilleAustralia, as part of the Museum of Underwater Art, Sentinels of the ocean it is made up of eight figurative sculptures that blend the textures of marine life with the likenesses of influential conservationists.
Similar to « The Coral Greenhouse », which was incorporated into the waterscape in 2020, these works are made of pH neutral, low carbon concrete and stainless steel and are created with the intention for sea creatures to use them as homes. “It is hoped that in the coming years a variety of endemic species such as corals, sponges and hydroids will change the appearance of the sculptures in vibrant and unpredictable ways. Like the Great Barrier Reef itself, they will become a living and evolving part of the ecosystem, emphasizing both its fragility and its resilience,” says Taylor.
Due to warming waters caused by the climate crisis, much of the reef is alive coral bleaching, a stress-induced reaction that causes sea creatures to excrete algae from their tissues and lose their characteristic vibrant colors. Taylor’s works are designed to help stimulate new growth, provide a sanctuary for endangered life forms, and attract curious divers from more vulnerable areas.
Sentinels of the ocean they include stylized portrayals of Indigenous leader Jayme Marshall, marine scientist and « godfather of coral » John Veron, and nine-year-old Molly Steer, who led an initiative to stop the proliferation of single-use straws, among others. See more of Taylor’s underwater sculptures before and after the colonization of sea creatures at his site AND Instagram.
#climate crisis #coral #Jason deCaires Taylor #ocean #sculpture
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