e landscape of Lanzarote, Spain is a polarizing picture. It is a collage of rust-colored cliffs, green lagoons
and stretches of jet black beaches. Today, we know it best as part of the Canary Islands but it was once
nothing more than a volcanic wasteland. e late César Manrique put this place on the map during the 1960s,
when the native artist began peppering the ash-filled archipelago with his work—all of which simultaneously
preserved the island's natural state. British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor has continued Manrique's legacy
with his latest Lanzarote installation, Museo Atlántico—a subaquatic museum which fuses art, nature and
sustainability.
roughout the past 10 years, Taylor has been submergining his sculptural works in bodies of water all
over the world. Aside from aesthetics, the sculptures themselves are engineered to serve as artificial reefs
for marine life and have been known to increase the surrounding oceans biomass and species reproduction.
ey're also a form of activism for Taylor. In an effort to raise environmental awareness and encourage
marine conservation, Taylor has given a human face to the impact experienced by marine ecologies. rough
BY ABBY MONTANEZ
PHOTOS BY JASON DECAIRES TAYLOR / CACT LANZAROTE
VUE ON ART
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