Underwater Museums: The Raft of Lampedusa
Using the ocean as an exhibition space, British artist Jason deCaires Taylor has created an underwater museum off the coast of Lanzarote, Spain, comprising life-size concrete figures depicting everything from the horrors of the refugee crisis to selfie-taking tourists, sculpture that will transform over time into a thriving marine ecosystem.
Life-sized casts are situated 14 metres below the surface of the water. This is a permanent installation, accessible to divers, snorkelers and tourists in glass-bottomed boats.
The Raft of Lampedusa depicts 13 refugees on a raft, drifting towards an uncertain future. It draws its inspiration from Théodore Géricault’s The Raft of the Medusa, which represents the vain hope of shipwrecked sailors. Despite being able to see the rescue vessel on the horizon, they are abandoned to their fate – much as refugees are today.
Contributed by www.illuminate.org.uk
This article is an excerpt from Scuba Diver‘s “Lost Worlds”. To read more, purchase a copy of this latest issue or subscribe here at our online shop.