A striking new series of 25 sculptures by Jason deCaires Taylor based on Grenada’s cultural heritage has been installed in the Caribbean island’s Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park.
Molinere opened as the world’s first underwater sculpture park in 2006 and set the tone for all the British artist’s subsequent projects at worldwide locations including Mexico, Australia, Cyprus and the Canary Islands. His latest artworks, collectively termed the Coral Carnival, now make up the biggest series in the park.
Installed in a linear procession at depths of 3-7m to suit snorkellers as well as scuba divers, the sculptures are based on traditional characters associated with Grenada's annual Spicemas carnival, says deCaires Taylor.
They also represent the first time colour has been applied to Taylor’s underwater sculptures from the start – in the past it has been left to marine growth to supply this naturally over time.
The Spicemas carnival celebrate Grenada’s culture and history each June and July and includes soca, calypso and steel band competitions, “masqueraders” acting the parts of traditional symbolic characters, and a carnival king and queen. deCaires Taylor’s interpretation, created in collaboration with a group of local artists, reflects many of these colourful characters.
Vieux Corps, or Vecko, characters traditionally wear a wire-mesh mask – a reference to past enslavement – under tall pointed hats, with black, red or purple cloaks and boots with wooden soles designed to create a loud noise. The sculptor says he has recreated the masks and cloaks using organic pigments such as squid ink, cochineal and turmeric on a calcium-carbonate base.
The Wild Indian character originates from the Amerindian heritage of South American immigrants, wearing a short skirt, feathered head-dress, beaded jewellery and a painted face and body.
Another character unique to Grenada’s festivities is Jab Jab, or “double devil”, which is not meant to be demonic but, with its chain details, to represent emancipation from the slave-masters of the island’s past.
Local artists sculpted traditional elements such as serpents, animal skulls and dead fish for each underwater Jab Jab to carry, and the sculptures were painted with squid ink pigment to represent the molasses or engine-oil used to coat the body during Spicemas.
Short Knee, a carnival character who chants lines of verse, wears a jumpsuit, white trainers and small ankle-bells, and carries circular mirrors and talcum powder to ward off enemies. Wire masks over white headpieces often feature a goat or sheep’s face. Also featured are Fancy Mas dancers wearing jewels, sequins and feathers.
All the works were made using high-grade stainless steel and pH-neutral marine cement, and rest on rock-like bases that include cavities for marine life such as octopuses and lobsters to occupy.
New editions of familiar existing works The Lost Correspondent and Unstill Life were also installed in the Underwater Sculpture Park this year. For visiting divers it can be found in the Molinere Beauséjour Marine Protected Area, and the project was commissioned by Grenada’s Ministry of Implementation & Tourism and funded through a World Bank initiative.
Find out more about Jason deCaires Taylor’s wide range of projects around the world.
Also on Divernet: The diver who likes to leave his mark, Ocean Sentinels form new GBR dive trail, Underwater Museum unmasked, Passing through where they know how to put on a show
