World’s Largest Underwater Museum Embodies Hope

26 feet below the waters of Cancun, Mexico lies a collection of sub-aquatic art resembling a civilization frozen in time. The 510 stone sculptures inhabit the world’s first and largest underwater museum, Museo Subacuático de Arte, cofounded by Jason deCaires Taylor in 2009. The British sculptor says of his art installation, “I try to use the work to highlight the huge losses we’re having and how our blue planet is changing quite dramatically.” The project is called Silent Evolution and each figure is made from black pH neutral marine cement to attract coral growth while some are accented with transplanted live coral. Several figures are named specifically to further embody Taylor’s message. For example, the sad woman hunched over is called ‘No Turning Back’ and refers to the rapid depletion of coral reefs in the Caribbean while the winged woman with fan corals stands as a beacon for regeneration and is aptly called ‘Resurrection’.

For some amazing underwater photography, try Beautiful Bali Photo Shoot in Underwater Shipwreck.