Grenada: Carriacou launches its first Underwater Sculpture Park

Grenada: The first-of-its-kind Underwater Sculpture Park has been officially unveiled and launched in Carriacou on 15th October. The project whose foundation was laid in July 2023 was unveiled in a special ceremony attended by several ministers.

UNVEILING CEREMONY OF CARRIACOU UNDERWATER SCULPTURE PARK

The key stakeholders present at the event included Tevin Andrews, Minister of Local Affairs for Carriacou and Petite Martinique; Alison Keaton, Director, Grenada Tourism Authority; Carl Haszialek, Chief Operations Officer at the Grenada Tourism Authority, other staff members of the authority, and Jason Taylor, the artist. 

The authorities gave their briefs on the newly developed project while stating its significance to not just the public of Carriacou and Petite Martinique but the wider Grenada. 

The Director of Grenada Tourism Authority, Alison Keaton gave the inaugural address while highlighting its role to be crucial in diverting the island’s climatic conditions. 

“The sculpture is really going to be a balance between the environmental stewardship and tourism and the good benefits it's going to bring to the island as people come from far and wide to see our underwater sculpture park, they'll also get to realize that Grenada is at the forefront of being climate resilient,” she said. 

Minister Tevin Andrews, present at the address gave a brief overview on the construction of the project. He initiated by extending his gratitude to all those involved in the project and who managed to bring the project to life. 

The event also featured students who acted as the inspiration for sculptures. The students shared their thoughts on the project and also highlighted the role of climate resilience. 

IMPACT OF UNDERWATER SCULPTURE PARK ON CARRIACOU

The sculpture park will play a crucial role in driving the nation’s economy through tourism and enhanced employment opportunities. The recent passage of Hurricane Beryl left widespread damage to the island. This recent passage of the natural calamity hence raises concern for a system to help the island grow stronger in terms of resilience. 

“So the underwater sculpture park initiative is just the beginning of many initiatives that we will collaborate with the Grenada Tourism Authority and other agencies to implement the plans for Paradise Beach as we have to reimagine how we view Paradise Beach,” the minister of Local Affairs, Tevin Andrews said as he highlighted the significance of the current project and shed light over more planned initiatives.

It was also revealed that the project could be more instrumental for Carriacou due to its uniqueness, though there is already one located in Grenada. 

“It might be more dived or most visited than the sculpture pack in greater because of its uniqueness and because it's new. And people come from all works of life, all over the world, come to Grenada to dive the underwater sculpture pack,” the Minister added. 

WHAT WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE UNDERWATER SCULPTURE PARK?

The Sculpture Park will include statues of local students from primary and secondary schools, which were carved out to maintain the originality of the design. A total of 30 statues were carved out by world-renowned artist Jason DeCaires Taylor. 

These statues have been designed keeping in mind the theme of the ocean and the underworld. The authorities have built a boat-like sculptures, and each one of it has been sculpted out of eco-friendly materials. 

Jason Taylor, the artist behind the sculptures is a renowned specialist and has won several awards for the work he has done as an environmentalist and professional underwater photographer. He has worked for more than 17 years and has been creating underwater museums and sculptures. 

To date, the artist has submitted more than 1200 living artworks to the oceanic waves. The sculptures that have been designed are based on themes focusing on climate urgency, environmental activism, and regenerative attributes of nature. 

The artist himself was present at the event and he also expressed his views to consider this design for the sculptures. 

“I wanted to reference the boat-building tradition of the island, but I wanted to also talk about the fragility of our environment, and how some of these small island nations are particularly susceptible to, obviously, hurricanes, warming seas, rising seas. And so, I wanted to have that combination of the youth steering and navigating a positive future,” the artist said. 

The artist also added that he desired that these sculptures would act as a great memory for the students as they could come here and watch themselves in statues as they grow older. 

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SCULPTURES

The sculptures will play a huge role in giving the underwater life a boost. The sculptures will act as artificial reefs, enhancing marine biodiversity and supporting the restoration of Carriacou’s delicate coral ecosystems. 

The area where the sculptures are installed has crystal clear waters and is one of the most accessible points for the residents. The area is the best choice for Snorkeling and diving further making the site to be more tourist friendly. 

HISTORY OF THE UNDERWATER SCULPTURE PARK

The underwater sculpture park’s history dates back two decades as the story of the project began in 2005. The sculpture park which was built in Grenada was an idea of Jason DeCaires Taylor who partnered with the Grenada Tourism Authority to bring his idea to life.

The park was a unique idea and was the first of its kind and also listed among the 25 wonders of the world by National Geographic. The park located in Moliniere Bay was officially opened in 2006. This new initiative acted as a catalyst for the environment and the people of Grenada, who just suffered from a huge coastal erosion due to Hurricane Levy Lenny.

The Hurricane, which had monstrous waves and huge storm surges, had a destructive effect. The purpose of the sculptures was simply to create an environment for visitors to experience and act as an artificial reef to protect the coast. The authorities considered this development to be instrumental in rejuvenating the island’s marine ecosystem. 

HOW THE UNDERWATER SCULPTURE PARK IN CARRIACOU CAME TO LIFE?

The idea for this project was kept ahead by the Minister for Carriacou and Petite Martinique affairs and local government, Tevin Andrews. He led the idea during a Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA) consultation which took place in July 2023.

The Minister of Local Affairs at the inaugural ceremony stated that the project was something he promised but it wasn’t documented. He stated that this will transform the lives of everyone providing all with tremendous benefits. 

“It wasn't documented, but it's something that I promised because we have to find ways to help boost or to lift or to transform the I believe, have tremendous benefits, not just for our locals to benefit from it from the dive shops to the tour guides to the restaurants to the rest, to the, hotels and guest house,” the Minister said. 

Disclaimer: The update on the Carriacou’s underwater sculpture park is purely written by Associates Times. Readers can explore more such topics through the website and get the latest news on the daily happenings in the Caribbean region.