Jason deCaires "Taylor Human Nature"
Jonathan LeVine Gallery
This event has ended.
Jonathan LeVine Gallery presents Human Nature, a series of works by Jason deCaires Taylor in what will be his debut solo gallery exhibition. Human Nature will feature large-scale photographic print editions, sculpture and a video documenting the artist’s process and the evolution of his works.
Taylor was born in Great Britain in 1974 to a British father and Guyanese mother. Much of his childhood was spent on the coral reefs of Malaysia, cultivating a profound love of the sea and fascination with nature. Working as a scuba diving instructor in various parts of the world, he developed a strong interest in conservation, underwater naturalism and photography. In his teens, experimenting with graffiti fired the artist’s interest in the relationship between art and the environment, fostering an ambition to produce art in public spaces.
Over the past several years, Taylor has created a large body of installations in aquatic environments. These ambitious public projects combine his unique range of logistical experience, artistic talent, scuba diving skill and marine life interest. Casting cement into full-scale figures and objects, the artist infuses his eco-sculptures with specialized pH neutral materials to encourage the formation of artificial reefs. The installations have a conservational aspect, drawing tourists away from natural reef formations thereby helping to replenish this endangered natural resource.
For this exhibition, the artist selected photographs of some of his major public projects. While some works were photographed as soon as they were submerged, others feature various stages of coral and algae growth that has occurred over a period of time. The resulting photography (much like the experience of viewing in person) evokes a sense of discovering forgotten civilizations, and surreal narratives of lost, sunken worlds.
Media
Schedule
from June 30, 2012 to July 28, 2012
Opening Reception on 2012-06-30 from 19:00 to 21:00