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Jason deCaires Taylor has created over 1,000 sculptures around the world, and the majority of them are displayed on the seabed, such as in the Gulf of Mexico, the fjords of Norway, or even on the Great Barrier Reef.
This sculpture exhibition, titled "The Underwater Forest," is located at a depth of 8-10 meters, approximately 200 meters from the Ayia Napa resort area (Cyprus). Through 93 works, Jason deCaires Taylor conveys a message about the relationship between humans and nature.
The children are depicted playing in the forest, pointing cameras at humans, hoping for a future where the wonders of nature will return.
More than just works of art, Jason deCaires Taylor's sculptures are designed to recreate habitats for marine life. Each sculpture is made from pH-neutral materials to prevent negative environmental impacts. These works will serve as a new home for marine life that has been depleted over the past decades. Over time, the sculptures will be covered in marine biomass and will provide refuge for marine creatures.
Jason deCaires Taylor undertook this project as part of a "green" art movement, aiming to bring artworks into contact with their surroundings in a unique way.
Jason deCaires Taylor's sculptures placed on the seabed also serve as a way to examine the impact of human activity on the natural environment, with ecosystems experiencing declining biodiversity and climate change.
The exhibition is set up like a path through a dense underwater jungle.
Sharing her thoughts on this unique underwater exhibition, Marine Argyrou, Director of the Marine and Fisheries Research Department, stated that Jason's artwork will contribute to the development of biodiversity in the region: “The underwater museum will be an ecological experience and a place to admire vibrant sculptures, with artworks that interact with nature, evolving over time, and I'm sure it will bring people closer to the marine environment as well as the conservation and protection of our marine ecosystems.”
