Charlotte Foster
Art

Unveiling the world’s first underwater art sculpture park

The world’s first underwater sculpture park has been unveiled off the coast of Cyprus. 

The sunken forest by the Museum of Underwater Sculpture in Cyprus (MUSAN) was created by Jason deCaires Taylor, and cost roughly $1.6million to bring to life.

The incredible park is made up of 93 sculptures: some of which weigh up to 13 tonnes. 

With his newest installation, Jason aims to put the spotlight on "rewilding our natural spaces" and "reforesting areas of barren habitat" through the complicated relationship between people and nature. 

Jason spoke with CNN Travel, and said the installation was inspired by issues the world is currently facing. 

"I tried to incorporate as many references to climate change and habitat loss and pollution as I could, because those are really the defining issues of our era."

He said, "I'm kind of hoping that it leaves the visitor with a sense of hope along with a sense that the human impact isn't always negative. That we can reverse some of the things we've done.”

Each of the sculptures was lowered below the surface by cranes, and were placed at such a depth so that the areas may be “enriched” over time by their presence. 

MUSAN is accessible to divers and snorkellers, and Jason hopes that it will bring more visitors to the marine protected area of Cyprus, which he describes as having "some of the best visibility I've ever been in."

Jason is currently working on new installations for Australia's Museum of Underwater Art in Townsville, and northern Queensland on the Great Barrier Reef, which has lost half of its corals over the past two decades.

Image credits: Instagram @jasondecairestaylor

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art, underwater, sculpture, cyprus, world first