Sculptor teams up with Sigma Corporation to capture beauty of Cancun Underwater Museum

British sculptor, photographer, conservationist and scuba diver, Jason deCaires Taylor, the creator of the Museum of Underwater Modern Art in Cancun, has teamed up with Stigma Corporation for a photography project that will help get his work shown to the rest of the world.

The Museum of Underwater Modern Art lies beneath the turquoise waters of Cancun in Mexico and is home to over 400 life-sized sculptures that have been individually cast and made using a special cement mix which encourages coral growth. The sculptures reflect Mayan people and symbolise the relationship between humans and nature. The museum is one of the largest artificial reef attractions in the world and since its opening in 2009, the site has attracted thousands of tourists who have rushed to experience it during scuba diving holidays in Cancun.

Image by Nadia.Aly, on Flickr.

The four-installation project can currently only be viewed by scuba divers, snorkellers, and visitors who take trips to the site on glass-bottom boats. By taking photographs of the museum and distributing across several online and offline channels, people all over the world will be able to see the beautiful images and learn about Taylor's conservation efforts.

Taylor created the museum and artificial reef to provide a new habitat for marine species and draw tourists taking scuba diving holidays in Cancun and the Riviera Maya away from the region's natural reefs so that these can be naturally replenished.

Christine Moossmann, the Director of Marketing at Sigma Corporation, said that her company supports Taylor's conservation efforts and they will provide his team with new lenses so that they can take photos of the beautiful sculptures.

Taylor explained: "Sigma lenses have become a vital tool for me to document my work and portray the beauty and fragility of the underwater world.

"I have been photographing underwater for more than 10 years and have tried many different camera setups, however, using Sigma's wide angle 10-20mm has been a turning point.

Image by sea zoom, on Flickr.

"It allows me to get in really close, which improves water clarity and detail; it is excellent in low light and reveals the true appearance of the sculptures by not causing any distortion. It also produces incredibly sharp and vibrant imaging."

While scuba diving in Cancun and taking still photographs, Taylor's team will also be capturing the experience on film to document his remarkable work in a movie called Angel Azul, that will be narrated by the famous actor, writer and social activist, Peter Coyote.
Moossmann added: "The scenes that Jason is able to create with his underwater sculptures are incredibly evocative and the images of his work are mesmerising,"

"We're honoured that our products are tied to such beautiful photography - and such an important cause. This project is a great example of how art and photography can promote awareness and change, and we're pleased to be a part of that message."

Cancun is one of the leading scuba diving destinations in the Caribbean with warm waters boasting an abundance of diverse marine creatures, colourful coral reefs, cenotes, and underwater tunnels and caves.