[Preview] A Giant Underwater Sculpture Is Now Holding Up The Ocean's Surface

There's now an 18-foot-tall female Atlas sculpture kneeling on the ocean floor, holding the surface of the sea on her shoulders. Last week, The Creators Project was on hand off the coast of New Providence, Bahamas to catch the deployment of the giant sculpture into her oceanic habitat. Coming soon, we'll be premiering our short doc on the new project.

Part of The Sir Nicholas Nuttall Coral Reef Sculpture Garden, the Atlas sculpture was created by artist Jason deCaires Taylor, who previously put 500 life-sized sculptures in the waters surrounding Cancun, Isla Mujeres and Punta Nizuc. “I was interested in utilizing the surface of the water as part of the installation,” Taylor told The Creators Project.

Organized and curated by the Bahamas Reef Environment Education Foundation (BREEF), the project aims to relieve pressure on natural reefs, which can be hotspots for environmentally-damaging tourism. “This Atlas is about our younger generations supporting our oceans, stopping them from collapsing," Taylor said. In addition to his work, pieces by artists Willicey Tynes and Andret John are also on display.

Catch a sneak peek of the stunning underwater world of Atlas, below, and stay tuned for our documentary on The Sculpture Garden:

Related:

How Kara Walker Built A 75-Foot-Long Candy Sphinx

A Giant Head Sculpture Will Look Down On Chicago This Summer

Street Artist SpY Hangs A Giant Moon Over Switzerland