by Aj West

Created on: July 17, 2007

Stone children slowly shape shifting into living reefs stand in a circle engulfed by the aquatic life of the tropics. These statues belong to The Sculpture Park at Moliniere and are slowly becoming relics for Grenada, the largest of three islands residing on the southern tip of the Windward Islands in the Caribbean. Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Caribbean Sea to the west, the island's unique geography and rich marine environment set it apart from the other Caribbean Islands. Traversed by a volcanic mountain range which reaches heights of 2,750 feet, it is solely responsible for the birth of a fascinating landscape.

The island of Grenada is also renowned for its diving experience. The Sculpture Park will provide an opportunity to explore this dynamic seascape. Diving into this nostalgic gallery of underwater sculptures, you will find the brainchild Jason Taylor. Jason was educated in South East England; he graduated at Camberwell College of Art, London Institute with a B.A. Honors in Sculpture and Ceramics. He has exhibited sculptures in several public spaces, including Trafalgar Square, Regents Park, Waterloo and Camberwell. He is a fully qualified dive instructor with over 14 years of diving experience in a variety of countries worldwide.

His artistic development has been inspired by the works of Richard Long, Christo and Claus Oldenberg, whose focus on the connection between the object and the environment in which it is placed reflects his own experience: "I encountered change from an early age as my family moved from one cultural environment to another. This was the beginning of my fascination with how objects and relationships change as landscapes and contexts alter."

An underwater gallery gives Jason the ability to create a whole new perspective on humans and their environment. The process of turning sculptures into living reefs is fascinating. Submerged objects are affected by different conditions both physical and emotional. Objects appear 25% larger and closer, colors are changed as light is absorbed differently by the water. The surface of the sea creates an ever-changing kaleidoscope of light, whilst its turbidity acts as a filter.

Any ridged structure underwater creates an artificial reef. This in turn allows hard and soft corals, algae and sponges to colonize it. These organisms are the basis of many Caribbean reef ecosystems and attract an array of marine life including a spectrum of colorful reef fish, turtles, sea urchins and

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