World-renowned sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor has been specially recognised by the Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA) for his outstanding work in creating the world’s first underwater sculpture park in the island.
Between 2006 and 2009, deCaires Taylor founded the park in Grenada which was listed as one of the Top 25 Wonders of the World by National Geographic. His concrete sculptures based on people, history and folklore eventually become alive by supporting the sustainable growth of the colorful reefs in Molinere Bay.
Subsequently, this park became a marine protected area thanks to the Government of Grenada’s pledge to preserve 20% of its coastal waters. The Sculpture Park includes art installations such as Vicissitudes (famously known as the Circle of Children), Grace Reef, the Lost Correspondent and the Unstill Life to name a few.
As a gesture of gratitude to deCaires Taylor for his work, the Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA) hosted a dinner with representatives of the Ministry of Tourism & Civil Aviation, the Grenada Hotel & Tourism Association (GHTA), the Grenada Scuba Divers Association (GSDA), the Grenada Underwater Sculpture Management Inc. (GUSMI), and the Grenada Arts Council. At the dinner, deCaires Taylor was presented with a special nutmeg-designed award for his contribution to the destination’s unique selling points.
The GTA extends special thanks to members of the GHTA namely the Coyaba Beach Resort, True Blue Bay Resort and Maca Bana Villas for their support in hosting deCaires Taylor and his family during their recent stay in Grenada.
At the sculpture park, visitors are taken to the area by local tour operators and they can either sail, snorkel or dive to experience this stunning and unique experience. Tripexperts have rated this experience as the number one attraction in Grenada in 2019 based on online reviews, searches and clicks.
deCaires Taylor is famous for integrating contemporary art into conservation with marine life. He has continued his artwork in Mexico, the Bahamas and in Spain. He travels all over the world for his work and he is currently engaged on a project in Australia.
Tourism stakeholders in Grenada have continued his good work with additional sculptures such as the Nutmeg Princess and the Selfie Statue. The GTA hosted a competition in 2018 to encourage local talent to create new sculptures. The winning submission dubbed Wet Fete, includes the Carnival characters Shakespeare Mas, Wild Indian, Jab Jab, Shortknee and Vieux Corps. The plan is to add these sculptures to the Underwater Sculpture Park in the coming years.
Grenada Tourism Authority
