Laura Loth: Ariel's Ecology and an Underwater Museum (TED talk)The image that I've chosen to accompany this TED talk about the underwater art of Jason deCaires Taylor is the cover image for a work of literary criticism by Monique Allewaert entitled "Ariel's Ecology: Plantations, Personhood, and Colonialism in the American Tropics" (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2013). Within the TED talk, you'll hear Taylor discuss his process and choice of location for his underwater museum, as well as his hopes to raise awareness of the importance of the deliberate conservation and preservation of oceans. I had many questions when watching this--as compelling as the underwater figures are, could they be safe? Is creating an ocean museum such as this not risky, or gimmicky, and couldn't this do more harm than good, altering ecosystems and drawing in too many boats that were liable to pollute rather than protect? At the same time, I find these images so thought-provoking, for all that they conjure about the lives lost during the crossing in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, or more recently in the migrant crisis in the Mediterranean, or for thoughts about global climate change, rising sea levels and coastal erosion, not to mention his debt to the funerary terracotta army of China.
In any case, this post is another example of the type of web content you're encouraged to include in this blog, and I suppose my only question is this: along with my list above, do these aquatic installations evoke other historical moments, concepts, or artworks for you? I don't think I've exhausted the list of all of the potential associations Taylor is encouraging us to contemplate.
These aquatic installations, especially the one pictured, are to me reminiscent of the quote from "The Tempest" where Ariel tells prince Ferdinand about the alleged fate of his father Alosnso.
ReplyDelete"Full fathom five thy father lies; of his bones are coral made; those are pearls that were his eyes: nothing of him doth fade but doth suffer a sea change into something rich and strange."
Both the underwater museum and the quote from the tempest reflect the fleeting existence of humanity when compared to nature itself. Nature has the power to transform what it sees fit, regardless of the status of the person or object in question.
I had many of the same question when watching this video because I would have never thought about creating an under water sculpture park or museum, but I think it is a great idea. I didn’t think these underwater figures could be safe, but I am thankful they looked into a substance that would be safe such as the long-lasting pH-neutral cement, which would provide a stable and permanent platform for sea life. This reminds me of “The Tempest” just like Jacob stated with the quote referring to the death of Ferdinand’s father, which was “his bones are coral made.”
ReplyDeleteThe idea of taking people to the underwater museum with regularity does evoke some anxieties within me about polluting the area more than he manages to save through the guests' newfound appreciation. Aside from the traffic, the sculptures themselves are beautiful and seem mostly harmless, so I am happy that they were created.
ReplyDeleteThe sculptures remind me of the Sumerian votive figures, making this space in the ocean into a temple that he intends people to take pilgrimages to. I can't quite identify why, but the textures and colors that sea anemones and other underwater organisms have contributed to the figures remind me of the patterns and patchwork effects of Wangechi Mutu's visual art.