World Ocean Day is June 8, and the coastal city of Townsville in Northeastern Queensland, Australia, is doing something special to celebrate. The Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA) will be opening its new Ocean Sentinel snorkel trail.
The MOUA aims to inspire reef conservation by providing underwater experiences that engage people in cultural stories of the land and sea. The new snorkel trail consists of eight sculptures. These hybrids of human and natural marine forms represent marine conservationists — the ocean sentinels in the installation’s title. Most of the sentinels depicted are Australian.
“The stylised marine forms that surround and envelop them represent their particular field of study and expertise,” sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor explained in a statement. “The artworks aim to create an educational and informative introduction to Great Barrier Reef, celebrating its rich history and its connection to some of the world’s leading marine science institutions and its strong links to indigenous cultures and traditions.”
The artist is also an environmentalist and professional underwater photographer. Most of his work explores submerged and tidal marine environments.
deCaires Taylor sculpted the sentinels from a new high-grade, low-carbon concrete reinforced with marine stainless steel. Each sculpture is about 7 feet tall and weighs up to 2.8 tonnes. A low center of gravity helps each piece resist the ocean’s pull. The submerged sculptures will be set on barren stretches of the Great Barrier Reef off Townsville. deCaires Taylor hopes that, over time, marine life such as corals and sponges will colonize the artworks.
“Like the Great Barrier Reef itself, they will become a living and evolving part of the ecosystem, emphasising both its fragility and its endurance.”
The new Ocean Sentinel installation is MOUA’s third art project installation around Townsville. Ocean Siren, the first MOUA project, is not underwater but stands alongside Townsville’s Strand Jetty. The sculpture changes color in response to water temperature variations. Divers and snorkelers can also visit deCaires Taylor’s Coral Greenhouse, about a two-hour boat ride off the coast from Townsville.
