At the new Museum of Underwater Sculpture Ayia Napa, visitors can tour an underwater forest, a world’s first. There, they will view 93 works of art by Jason deCaires Taylor, inspired by nature and humans.
Museum of Underwater Sculpture Ayia Napa (MUSAN) is an aquatic treasure for Cyprus, since its uniqueness in combination with Ayia Napa’s marine environment create a special project, the like of which isn’t offered anywhere else.
Museum visitors can be divers, but also swimmers with mask and snorkels. The entire project is a water journey into the relationship between man and nature, as created by the renowned Jason deCaires Taylor.
The artist uses his knowledge and skills as a sculptor, marine conservationist, underwater photographer and scuba instructor to create unique works of art, which respond to the place they are put and enhance marine life.
The museum is a work of art in itself, in which nature will be an artist and will make its own interventions, over time. The sculptures have been designed and made with materials that attract marine life, and are placed at different depths, thus creating a suitable substrate for marine life at all levels.
The sculptures are made of inert materials, with neutral pH, so as not to adversely affect the area. It’s a sandy area, 200 meters from the coastline of Ayia Napa and it is expected that over time the biodiversity of the area will be enriched, thanks to the museum.
The creation of MUSAN was a result of the joint effort of the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research, the Ayia Napa municipality and the Ministry of Tourism. In her speech, the director of the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research, Marina Argyrou, expressed her great satisfaction and excitement that a unique and innovative project that was envisioned with the Ayia Napa municipality is becoming a reality.
“I firmly believe that Jason’s 93 artworks will be a haven for many sea creatures and will contribute to the development of biodiversity in the area. The underwater museum will be a living visual and ecological experience, with works of art interacting with nature and evolving over time and I’m certain it will bring people closer to the marine environment and the conservation and protection of our marine ecosystem”.
