The Rising Tide
I’ve long admired Jason deCaires Taylor’s underwater sculptures but thought – as I can barely swim, let alone dive – that I’d never actually get to visit one of his underwater museums or sculpture parks (especially as many seem to be off the coast of Mexico and the Bahamas). It was only recently, looking through his website, that I thought, hold on, I’ve seen those (but not realised they were by him).
The Rising Tide was commissioned in 2015 by Totally Thames as part of the Festival of the Thames. Four life-size mounted shire horses stand on the banks of the river at Vauxhall, the ebb and flow of the tide dictating when the sculptures could be seen; they were completely submerged at full tide. Symbolically they look towards the Houses of Parliament. The horses have oilwell pumps for heads. Two of the riders are middle-aged men in suits, looking defiantly indifferent – they represent business and politics. The other two figures are children, representing hope, we hope.
It almost goes without saying the message is political, specifically about climate change and how business and politics are contributing to it. Eight years later, the morons are still in charge.
I have been slightly sceptical of Taylor’s work in the past – I never thought concrete sculptures in the sea could be great for the environment, but I stand corrected: all his works are made with ‘low carbon, pH neutral marine grade cement, which is free from harmful pollutants’. The underwater sculptures also have a rough texture with holes in it, enabling creatures to attach themselves, grow and thrive. Indeed, many of his figures become so encrusted with sea life, they end up resembling sculptures from Damien Hirst’s Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable.
