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We have recently had a new attraction
installed in the NDAC quarry; but this one’s a little different
to the type of thing you find at most diving sites. This attraction
is a 6 foot high sculpture created by underwater artist Jason De Caires Taylor.
Mike Fischetti is the face of the World’s
first inverted sculpture that has been placed underwater on Monday
14th July 2008 at the National Diving & Activity Centre. Mike
Fischetti is a Children’s BBC presenter on the award winning
CBBC Smart Art programme, seen by millions of viewers each week.
The shoot is in preparation for an episode of Smart that will be
shown early in March 2009 by the BBC.
Jason De Caires Taylor was the artist behind
the attraction and has spent a number of months putting the life
size sculpture together. According to Jason this is the first and
only one of its kind in the world.
“The experience of being underwater
is vastly different from that of being on land. Objects appear
twenty five percent larger underwater, and as a consequence they
also appear closer. Colours alter as light is absorbed and reflected
at different rates, with the depth of the water affecting this
further. The light source in water is from the surface, this produces
kaleidoscopic effects governed by water movement, currents and
turbulence. Water is a malleable medium in which to travel enabling
the viewer to become active in their engagement with the work.
The large number of angles and perspectives from which the sculptures
can be viewed increase dramatically the unique experience of encountering
the works.”
The sculpture is weighing in at around 200kg
and is over 6ft in height. When you see the sculpture’s reflection
from underwater it would appear that someone is on the surface looking
down at you while you are underwater!
‘Inverted Thought’ is the name
of the sculpture and he looks awesome. He will be spending the next
few years in position underwater at the NDAC, allowing time for
the ecology to weather away his silvery finish, create an artificial
reef and something special for the NDAC and its divers.
Jason’s fantastic collection of work can
be viewed on his website at www.underwatersculpture.com.
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