Underwater Art Museum

A museum is under construction off the coast of Cancun. By the end of the year, divers may be able to visit four hundred sculptures in a maritime park:

The cement sculpture, called 'The Collector', shows a figure who records bottled treasures in logbooks. It weighs four tonnes and is anchored 26 feet under the sea. Divers watch a yellowtail damselfish nibble on algae growing from the sculpture's pant leg, which its creators hope will eventually sprout colourful coral.

About 400 life-size casts will be submerged off the resort of Cancun by the end of 2010. It is hoped that the low-acidity cement figures, designed to be anti-corrosive and mimic rock, will be transformed over time into artificial reefs. Some will be in shallow waters for snorkellers to enjoy.[...]

"The park managers were looking for an alternative to manage the tourists. The idea was to concentrate everyone in one place," said de Caires Taylor, who has also built an underwater sculpture park in Grenada, West Indies.

The 400 figures, weighing 180 tonnes in total and to be named 'Silent Evolution', will be submerged in a barren, flat expanse of the park, which lies between Cancun and nearby islands.

Link | Photo: Reuters