Artist brings undersea world to life with surreal reef project

By: Pete Thomas, GrindTV.com

Lots of people have created artificial reefs, using old ships and various debris. But nobody turns them into masterful creations the way artist Jason deCaires Taylor does with his life-sized and almost life-like cement sculptures.

His latest project is the development of an underwater museum within the National Marine Park off Cancun and Isla Mujeres. The final and most ambitious of four stages, nearing completion, is called "The Silent Evolution." DeCaires Taylor, a Brit, has crafted 400 statues -- each of them depicting a local villager -- and has already positioned more than 250 of them on the sea floor.

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The artist today posted a YouTube video of "The Silent Evolution" (also posted above), revealing a surreal seascape in which he captured with vivid reality the moods and expressions of men, women and children, whose immortality will be obscured, over time, by algae, coral and the many fish and marine creatures that will make this new home.

The environmentally-friendly reef, constructed with the cooperation of marine park officials and
the Cancun Nautical Association, will become popular among scuba divers and, as a new attraction, it should relieve some pressure from the area's more fragile natural reefs.

Take a look and let us know what you think of deCaires' work.

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46 Comments

1-20 of 46

Posted by donklos October 13, 2010 02:47pm PDTReply | Report Abuse

Wow! Beautiful

Posted by tarabonkers October 13, 2010 02:52pm PDTReply | Report Abuse

This is really cool!! and a great idea for habitat!!

Posted by masterassemblytech October 13, 2010 02:52pm PDTReply | Report Abuse

I want to be a statue on the sea floor in Cancun!! How does a person apply or get selected to have a casting made?

Posted by emily brogan October 13, 2010 02:53pm PDTReply | Report Abuse

Awesome! It'll be nice to watch the coral develop on the statues.

Posted by beverly lemons October 13, 2010 02:54pm PDTReply | Report Abuse

Absolutely love it!

Posted by donklos October 13, 2010 02:55pm PDTReply | Report Abuse

Would be cool to be able to pay to have a statue of yourself made and included in this. Imagine being an unsuspecting scuba diver swimming toward this with no knowledge.

Posted by bbr11 October 13, 2010 02:57pm PDTReply | Report Abuse

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDfWpu92-S4

Reply by judy mohorn October 14, 2010 09:32am PDTReport Abuse

Spam

Posted by jessica hibbert October 13, 2010 02:59pm PDTReply | Report Abuse

Its way cool but would have been more fun, interesting and entertaining if it were a scene and not just a bunch of people standing around.

Reply by melisa campbell October 13, 2010 07:41pm PDTReport Abuse

I suggest you build one.. seriously, this could be a growing trend in artificial reefs. Make a scene.

Reply by peachyone87 October 14, 2010 11:37am PDTReport Abuse

Ahahahaha yeah YOU build one!!

Reply by chefdawn October 15, 2010 03:11pm PDTReport Abuse

You just don't get it, do you?

Posted by sue flanagan October 13, 2010 03:01pm PDTReply | Report Abuse

it's like a giant fish tank, lol! it will be really beautiful once the coral starts growing around it and the fish start swimming through it!! Brilliant workmanship and artistry!!

Posted by missy123 October 13, 2010 03:01pm PDTReply | Report Abuse

You should go to Naples, Italy and see the real stuff!

Posted by becky read October 13, 2010 03:01pm PDTReply | Report Abuse

Jason's work is AMAZING! What a tremendous idea; it's just a shame that the detail he worked so hard to achieve will be taken over by nature so quickly. Beautiful job, Jason...keep it up! (You're giving me a reason to learn how to scuba dive!!)

Posted by freddie twiggs October 13, 2010 03:04pm PDTReply | Report Abuse

Fabulous!!!!!!

Posted by nakianakia October 13, 2010 03:12pm PDTReply | Report Abuse

I found it to be a little eerie.

Posted by mary bunting October 13, 2010 03:12pm PDTReply | Report Abuse

only one thing to say [ITS GREAT]

Posted by christie yudell October 13, 2010 03:24pm PDTReply | Report Abuse

Simply AMAZING!!! What an incredible talent this artist has. The concept alone is mind blowing but the execution of the piece is incredible. I would make a trip to Cancun just to see his work.

Posted by felicia garcia October 13, 2010 03:42pm PDTReply | Report Abuse

wow its beautiful kind of scary but amazing

Posted by rickie penrose October 13, 2010 03:53pm PDTReply | Report Abuse

Boy, hundreds of years from now, that's really going to mess with people !!!! I love it.

Reply by melisa campbell October 13, 2010 07:42pm PDTReport Abuse

i like your sense of humor rickie!

Posted by cassie ehli October 13, 2010 03:54pm PDTReply | Report Abuse

I think its a little creepy but the benefits could be great!

Posted by tatwater October 13, 2010 03:58pm PDTReply | Report Abuse

This is why the world is an amazing place! How lucky humanity is to have such a creative person! This would be incredible to see in person. Thankfully technology enables us to see it via video!

Reply by melisa campbell October 13, 2010 07:43pm PDTReport Abuse

I am absolutly terrified of boats and of the ocean, but I absolutly love art. And I am actually thinking of "attempting" to venture out to see it in person!

Posted by jeanie kaye October 13, 2010 04:26pm PDTReply | Report Abuse

Absolutely beautiful! Does anyone know why all of the statues were created with the eyes closed? I was curious about whether there was any significance to this or not.

Reply by melisa campbell October 13, 2010 07:44pm PDTReport Abuse

I dont know the artists actual intention, but it is historically shown as a spiritual moment when people have their eyes closed. A time of thinking, meditation. Being one with one's self. Its a sort of innocent moment in a human's life.

Reply by melisa campbell October 13, 2010 07:52pm PDTReport Abuse

or it could be something as simple as "who has their eyes open when they are under water?" lol

Reply by goneagain October 16, 2010 11:23am PDTReport Abuse

when a cast is made of a person, they have to have their eyes closed or the casting material will go into their eyes.

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