Located off the northwest coast of Lombok, Indonesia are three Gili Islands: Gili Air, Gili Meno, and Gili Trawangan. These islands are famous for their white sand beaches, swaying palm trees, and pristine waters. In addition to being famous for its sustainable and eco-friendly tourist attractions, it is also home to a beautiful “underwater sculpture park”.

The project called “Nest” was created and installed by British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor in 2017. Located just off the shore of Gili Meno, the smallest of the three islands, the underwater sculpture park features 48 life-sized statues based on the casts of real people, arranged in a circle, with couples embracing and figures lying down symbolizing the cycle of life as well as a reminder of life.

The project was commissioned by BASK, an eco-conscious island resort, “Nest” was donated to the local community. This “park” is located in shallow water and is open to everyone, including the 500 residents of the island.

Located about 4 meters below the surface, the statues are made from pH-neutral, eco-friendly cement and are designed to allow rapid growth of coral, algae and sponges. Though only a few years old, the statues are already beginning to form part of the landscape with schools of colorful fish darting through their legs and arms, swimming around the contoured faces disfigured by coral and algae.

In addition to his work in Indonesia, Jason deCaires Taylor also has many underwater sculptures located in many countries around the world such as the Bahamas, Spain, UK, Norway, Mexico, and more, encouraging environmental awareness by reminding us of the beauty and importance of seas and oceans.

According to underwatersculpture.com, atlasobscura.com