Is Cancun’s Underwater Sculpture Museum Threatened by Oil Disaster?

“I created the underwater sculptures to highlight how stunning the underwater world is and how we should try to look after it better and take more care,” says artist Jason deCaires Taylor. With the tragic oil rig explosion, which as I write this is gushing 5,000 barrels of oil per day into the gulf of Mexico, we are certainly not taking care of our oceans. The first set of 200 sculptures for phase two is scheduled to be laid on the sea bed in June, 2010, the oil slick could muddy things up and possibly create a disappointing delay.

If you are a card-carrying certified diver you already have your ticket to visit Cancun’s Underwater Sculpture Museum. This work of art is so incredible the rest of us will be inspired to learn so we can also experience it first hand. British artist Jason deCaires Taylor, specializes in the beautiful and rare art of underwater sculpture. Most of his figures are cast from real people. They are made of inert, PH-neutral concrete that does not pollute the water but attracts sea life.

The museum was the brainchild of Taylor and the Mexican government and was 18 months in the planning. This exhibit is part of The National Marine Park located in the northern part of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. The sculptures are in the water surrounding Cancun, Isla Mujeres, and Punta Nizuc. Park officials hope the sculptures will draw snorkelers and scuba divers away from the coral reefs, allowing the reefs time to heal from hurricane and human activity. The project is already achieving its goal by showing the growth of coral in the first few months and attracting diving enthusiasts.

Many dive destinations try to differentiate themselves from other dive sites, but the Mexican government and Taylor have raised the bar. Underwater sculptures provide the same focal point for a dive as a shipwreck, but add both beauty and mystery at the bottom of the sea.

Phase one was launched in November, 2009 with the placement of 3 sculptures; The Gardener of Hope, The Archive of Lost Dreams, and Man of Fire. The Gardener of Hope features a young girl lying on a patio cultivating plants, conveying a message of hope and prosperity. The Archive of Lost Dreams features dozens of bottles containing messages of encouragement sent from around the world, while Man of Fire features a lone figure standing upright and defiant and is riddled with 75 holes planted with live cuttings of fire coral. http://www.underwatersculpture.com

And, as I mentioned earlier, the first set of 200 sculptures for phase two is scheduled to be laid on the sea bed in June, 2010. Eventually Cancun’s Underwater Sculpture Museum will consist of over 400 permanent life-sized sculptures placed off the shore at several locations around the Cancun shoreline. In phase three, both local and international artists will be asked to contribute.  Donna Beasley