Blog Charco del Palo

The Museo Atlántico, situated just off the famous Papagayo Beaches close to Playa Blanca on the south coast is truly a different experience. In a sea depth from twelve to 15 meters and based on a sandy ground there is an installation of about 300 sculptures, which were staged in twelve different groups on a floor area of ​​approx. 50 x 50 meters by the british artist Jason deCaires Taylor.

One impressing example is the so-called Raft of Lampedusa, the portrayal of a refugee boat from Africa, or the Botanic Garden, or a couple taking a selfie - just faceless. Many topics that will animate thinking of, during, but especially after a dive at the Museo Atlántico...

The models for the figures were real persons living on lanzarote. Heartbreaking for example, the story of Abdel, seen in facebook, who was in distress off the coast of Lanzarote 16 years ago, with a littered patera with broken engine. While telling his story in front of the camera, his image adorns the seabed in front of the island on which he now lives; sitting on the bow of the refugee boat with which he arrived here from Africa, hoping for a better life on these islands. In this way the submarine exposition is linked with real life.

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The installation is really harmoniously integrated into the lanzarotenic underwater world, which is rich in flora and fauna. The sculptures are already covered with vegetation, patina one could not see a year ago shortly after opening, but fitting very well right now Museo Atlántico's face. Nevertheless, one clearly perceives the contrast arising between the artificially created reef world and the nature here on the sea ground.

Fascinating are, first of all, the fish swarms, which are moving around quite self-evident in their new home, in the artificially created reef landscape of the Museo Atlántico. A truly unique combination of submarine habitat. We have seen above all swarms of salemas (dreamfish), shifting around in fascinating, constantly changing forms between the underwater exhibition.

The statues are made of a PH - neutral concrete, and are therefore suitable to integrate themself into the biology of the underwater world. According to the operators, the biomass in the relevant area has already grown significantly. Due to the constantly changing vegetation, a new, unique picture is produced every time you come here. Taylor has already created a similar project in Mexico, but this one is the first and so far the only one in Europe.

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A dive is limited to an hour. From technical point of view, the Museo Atlántico is a very easy dive because the installation is at a depth of just twelve to 15 meters, depending on the tide level. Many dive schools on Lanzarote offer this in their program, just ask your local diving guide. Excursions with the submarine are currently not offered, so this means: Jump into the water and dive! Or at least snorkel...

The Museo Atlántico is supported by CACT Lanzarote (Centers of Art, Culture and Tourism of Lanzarote) and is a part of Lanzarote's touristic visitor centers, in addition to those already known for many years, facilities such as Los Jameos del Agua, the Cueva de los Verdes cave, Mirador del Rio, or even the Fire Mountains, the Nacional Park of Timanfaya.

Photos: We would have loved to add the photos and videos we took by our own in this contribution, just because of legal causes this was not possible. So the graphic material of the Museo Atlántico shown here was kindly made accessible to us by Jason deCaires Taylor / CACT Lanzarote and is subject to copyrights. Thank you very much for these images!