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1,814,847 views | Jason deCaires Taylor • Mission Blue II

An underwater art museum, teeming with life

For sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor, the ocean is more than a muse -- it's an exhibition space and museum. Taylor creates sculptures of human forms and mundane life on land and sinks them to the ocean floor, where they are subsumed by the sea and transformed from lifeless stone into vibrant habitats for corals, crustaceans and other creatures. The result: Enigmatic, haunting and colorful commentaries about our transient existence, the sacredness of the ocean and its breathtaking power of regeneration.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

For sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor, the ocean is more than a muse -- it's an exhibition space and museum. Taylor creates sculptures of human forms and mundane life on land and sinks them to the ocean floor, where they are subsumed by the sea and transformed from lifeless stone into vibrant habitats for corals, crustaceans and other creatures. The result: Enigmatic, haunting and colorful commentaries about our transient existence, the sacredness of the ocean and its breathtaking power of regeneration.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

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Jason deCaires Taylor

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Jason deCaires Taylor's underwater installations offer views of another world, where the artistic efforts of man meet the vivifying power of nature.

Jason deCaires Taylor, Carlo McCormick & Helen Scales | Chronicle Books, 2014 | Book

The Underwater Museum: The Submerged Sculptures of Jason deCaires Taylor

The Underwater Museum: The Submerged Sculptures of Jason deCaires Taylor is a one-of-a-kind blend of art, nature and conservation. The Underwater Museum re-creates an awe-inspiring dive into the dazzling under-ocean sculpture parks. This volume brings readers face-to-face with the underwater sculptures and explains the science behind their creation. Ocean enthusiasts, divers, art lovers and anyone entranced by the natural world will be instantly engrossed by this a book.

Twylene Moyer and Glenn Harper | ISC Press, 2012 | Book

The New Earthwork: Art Action Agency (Perspectives in Contemporary Sculpture)

The New Earth Works, Art Action Agency examines how art is influencing the future of humanity and the planet. It means a new approach to aesthetics and the role of art in our lives. And it means a sustainable and vital artistic practice that not only solves problems but also dares to ask questions and seek answers across disciplinary boundaries. These artists demonstrate how art can open people's eyes, drive change and envision more than one possible future.

Peter Selz, John K. Grande and Pia Hovi-Assad | Pori Art Museum Publications, 2011 | Book

Eco Art

Eco-Art reinforces a new vision of art through the various artists presentations, an alternative to economies of scale more like art in scale with nature and ecological systems. This art is evolving, increasingly ephemeral earth art attracts a truly global and inter-cultural participation.

Passelande Pictures | Watch

Angel Azul

Angel Azul explores the creative journey of Jason deCaires Taylor and the creation of artificial coral reefs from statues cast from live models. Experts provide the facts about the perilous situation coral reefs currently face and solutions necessary to save them. Peter Coyote generously provides insightful narration that leaves viewers pondering our connection to this valuable and beautiful ecosystem.

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