I recall when I was a child and before ecological preservation was such a hot-button issue, tourists would often take samples of coral reefs as souvenirs. Once people realised the irreparable damage that was being done to these delicate eco-systems, that practice gradually fell out of favour and was eventually legislated against. Unfortunately in some instances, action was taken too late to make a difference and, when combined with the natural, often damaging effects of hurricanes and storms, some reefs have never returned to their former glory.
Jason deCaires Taylor, an eco-sculptor, is on a mission to change this. At Mollinere Bay off the West Coast of Grenada, you will find 65 sculptures over an 800 square metre area. The bay suffered severe hurricane damage a few years ago and the artificial structures are intended to act as a base for the development and preservation of the indigenous marine life as well as providing an attraction for marine tourism thereby reducing traffic to natural reefs. Taylor's permanent installations are site-specific and intended to act as artificial reefs on which coral can develop and ecosystems thrive. The sculptures, which are designed to last for hundreds of years, are made with environmentally-friendly materials which promotes coral growth and have inert pH properties.
All of the sculptures are beautiful, but the human figures are the most haunting and evocative. The sculptures change over time with the effects of their environments and Taylor hopes that "taking art off the white walls of a gallery" will offer the viewer sense of "discovery and participation". The artist sees the transformation of the sculptures as a metaphor for the future of the human species.
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| Images: Jason deCaries Taylor |
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