Tsuktiben Jamir
As the name suggests, the Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA) is an underwater museum. It is considered the first and only underwater art museum in the Southern Hemisphere and is situated off the coast of Townsville in northern Queensland. With the launch of the Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA) in 2020, a portion of the most extensive coral reef system in the world was transformed into a work of art in the most accurate meaning of the term, making the Great Barrier Reef even more beautiful and alluring.
Jason deCaires Taylor, the creator, was one of the first contemporary artists to use the space as a venue for an exhibition. It is only suitable that after addressing conservation issues with his underwater work at MUSA in Mexico and Museo Atlantico in Spain, he turned his attention to the Great Barrier Reef, possibly the most famous underwater habitat in the world.
Courtesy: Matt Curnock.
The museum aims to promote reef conservation and aid in preserving this natural beauty by telling the history of the Great Barrier Reef and the local Aboriginal people. Eight distinct types of artwork make up the collection, and some of the sculptures are based on Australians whose contributions to marine science and conservation have significantly influenced our knowledge of reef protection.
The sculptures are built of low-carbon, environmentally friendly concrete and are reinforced with marine stainless steel so that marine life may colonise them. It is intended that when different species, including corals and sponges, develop on and around the sculptures throughout time, their look will change in unpredictable ways.
‘Ocean Siren’, a statue of a woman, was MOUA’s inaugural display, and it debuted in 2019. Visitors may view the free public artwork in the city because it is situated in the shallow shoreline waters off Townsville.
The second piece of art, ‘Coral Greenhouse’, debuted in 2020. It is situated at John Brewer Reef, about two hours by boat off the coast of Townsville, 18 metres (60 feet) below sea level. A certified tour of the location and a dive to the ocean floor are the finest ways to observe Coral Greenhouse. Jason deCaires Taylor created both of these pieces of art.
Another sculpture, the ‘Ocean Siren’, is located in Townsville, less than two hours by plane from Brisbane and four hours by car from Cairns. The four-meter (13-foot) sculpture was inspired by a local schoolgirl of Wulgurukaba Aboriginal heritage—the Wulgurukaba people are the area’s traditional owners. The sculpture can be seen best from the end of the Strand jetty. The 202 LEDs in the illuminated artwork respond to changes in sea temperature by changing colour thanks to a connection to a live data feed from a meteorological station on the Great Barrier Reef. Jason deCaires Taylor created Ocean Siren to visualise current reef conditions and raise awareness of the potential consequences of rising sea temperatures on the delicate species that make up the live coral reef.
The Great Barrier Reef is an iconic natural wonder located off the coast of Australia. With a length of more than 2,300 km, thousands of individual reefs, and hundreds of islands, it is the most extensive coral reef system in the world. THE GREAT BARRIER REEF IS a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its astounding biodiversity and abundant marine life.
