If the French Riviera is already on your travel plans…
A rather stunning underwater museum has just opened on the seabed of the French Riviera, just outside of Cannes. A collection of large Grey faces with closed eyes now sit under the sea, off the coast of the small French island of Île Sainte-Marguerite.
It’s part of the marvellous new exhibition by British artist Jason deCaires Taylor. It’s sure to provide divers with the chance to enjoy some blissful solitude from the hustle and bustle of life in Cannes. Picture it, just the calming sounds of the ocean drowning out the noise, with these beautiful statues to gaze upon.
Each sculpture weighs a healthy ten tons, and stand tall at six foot. They are said to portray six people local to the area, including an entrepreneur, a curator, schoolchildren and even an 80-year-old fisherman!
Speaking to Architectural Digest, Jason deCaires Taylor said: “I think that there’s a danger when we look at the ocean [because] it looks robust, powerful, untouchable. When what’s happening beneath is unprecedented, it’s extremely fragile.”
On top of being sublime to look at, the project also aims to give back to the ocean. Boats are banned from the surrounding areas with the hope that posidonia seagrass meadows will replenish. This is vital, given their importance to the underwater eco-system.
Since the only entrance to the exhibition is the deep waters, it’ completely free to go and view.
The only catch, of course, is that you’ll need to know your way around diving and obtain the necessary paraphernalia. There’s no doubt that once travelling around Europe is on the cards again, this will be at the top of many a traveller’s list. Plus, there’s no need to worry about social-distancing underwater!
