Spain turns ocean bed into art gallery
Installation is complete at Europe's first underwater museum, due to open later this month.
The Museo Atlantico under the waves off Lanzarote, in Spain's Canary Islands, will be a snorkeling and diving destination featuring 400 pieces by artist Jason deCaires Taylor, reports Mashable.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. The artist specializes in underwater sculpture, often focusing on environmental and conservational themes in his work.
Among the installation in Lanzarote are a hybrid cactus-man, a depiction of the Syrian refugee crisis and an underground botanical garden.
The sculptures, which are built from pH-neutral marine cement, are meant to attract marine life. Over time, the sculptures are expected to evolve into artificial reefs, hosting a variety of coral, algae and fish.
At 45 feet below the surface, the work will be accessible to snorkelers and divers starting Feb. 25.
The project, funded by the Council of Lanzarote, is meant to increase sustainable tourism to the island.
Last year, Taylor's work opened an underwater museum in Cancún, Mexico and warned of climate change in the Thames in London.
Comments