Jason deCaires Taylor

For the past two decades, Jason deCaires Taylor has created underwater sculpture museums, installing 1,200+ living artworks worldwide. These installations explore themes such as the climate emergency, environmental activism, and the regenerative power of nature. Over time, the sculptures become habitats for marine life, while reflecting humanity’s fragility and its relationship with the ocean. The figures are largely drawn from local communities, emphasising personal and cultural ties to surrounding coastal environments.

His practice is a direct collaboration with nature. Using low carbon, pH neutral materials engineered for colonisation, the sculptures incorporate forms, structures, and refuges designed for specific marine species. Once submerged, currents, sediments, and organisms steadily transform the works. Each sculpture functions as an artificial reef, providing new substrate for diverse marine life while helping to redirect tourism away from vulnerable natural reefs. Over time, inert stone surfaces are reshaped into richly coloured, highly detailed living skins, their textures varied, intricate, anatomical, and alive.

As the sea assimilates these works, they communicate a message of regeneration and hope at a time of accelerating environmental pressure. Several projects have also supported governments in designating surrounding coastlines as marine protected areas, a critical tool for conservation, while generating sustainable revenue for local communities.