Filenews 2 August 2021
Impressive was the opening ceremony of the Underwater Sculpture Museum of Ayia Napa (MUSAN) on Pernera Beach, held on Saturday in the presence of official guests and the artist Jason deKer Taylor himself.
The creator is one of the most famous representatives of the eco-art movement and USAN is a marine treasure for Cyprus, since its uniqueness, combined with the marine environment of Ayia Napa, create a special work, which is not offered anywhere else.
The budget of the Ayia Napa Underwater Sculpture Museum amounts to €1,000,000.
The guests had the opportunity to hear from the artist himself his idea of MUSAN and the chronicle of its creation. The artist presented with two short videos the Underwater Museum of Ayia Napa (MUSAN).
Intense interest in the Underwater Museum was also shown by the international media, whose representatives arrived in Cyprus to record the opening and to see Musan's works up close. In the morning, on the day of the inauguration, the Municipality of Ayia Napa, together with the Ministry of Tourism, organized a breakfast during which they had the opportunity to talk with the artist and the Mayor of Ayia Napa. Late at noon there was the first dive and tour of the new museum.
At the new Ayia Napa Underwater Sculpture Museum (MUSAN), visitors will be able to tour an underwater forest, the first of its kind in the world. There, they will meet 93 works of art, inspired by nature and man. At the same time, the museum is in itself a work of art, in which an artist will be nature and will make its own interventions, over time.
The works have been designed in a way and materials that attract marine life, and have been placed at various depths, thus creating a suitable substrate for marine life at all levels. The sculptures are made of inert materials, with a neutral pH, so as not to have a negative effect on the area to be placed. It is a sandy area, 200 meters from the coastline of Ayia Napa and it is expected that over time the biodiversity of the area will be enriched, thanks to the museum.
Visitors to the museum can be divers, as well as swimmers with a mask and snorkel. The whole work is an aquatic journey into the relationship between man and nature, as created by the acclaimed artist. Taylor uses his knowledge and skills as a sculptor, marine conservationist, underwater photographer and scuba diving instructor to create unique works of art that correspond to the space to be placed and enhance marine life.
The Mayor of Ayia Napa, Christos Zannetou described the project as a legacy for future generations that contains many symbolisms about the alienation of man from the environment, the intergenerational relationship and climate change. "I am proud that among the models are two small Cypriots, whose forms we reveal today and which will always be here to mark the location of the Museum," he added.
According to the Mayor, this project enriches the tourist product and is now part of the national wealth of Cyprus. At the same time, it upgrades and attracts a special portion of tourists, with special interests and offers a unique experience to all groups and ages of visitors. At the same time, it supports efforts to lengthen the tourist season, acting in return for the national economy.
"We believed that with this unique diving museum in nature visitors will be able to enjoy an underwater 'oasis' which with vision can change data in the experience of our visitors while offering a new opportunity to integrate this destination to our own preferences and explorations. Nothing is impossible, with cooperation, with vision and love, both for our Municipality and for our new generations, we can set goals and achieve them"
The creation of MUSAN was a joint effort of the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research, the Municipality of Ayia Napa and the Ministry of Tourism. In her greeting, the Director of the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research, Marina Argyrou, expressed her great enthusiasm and enthusiasm, since a unique and innovative project that we envisioned together with the Municipality of Ayia Napa is becoming a reality today.
"I firmly believe that Jason's 93 projects will be a refuge for many marine organisms and contribute to the development of the region's biodiversity. The underwater museum will be a living visual and ecological experience, with works of art interacting with nature and evolving over time and bringing the world even closer to the marine environment, closer to the conservation and protection of the marine ecosystem."
The Minister of Transport and Works and former Mayor of Ayia Napa, Giannis Karousos, also addressed a greeting. "When I ask what works I am proud to have promoted or implemented during my seven-year tenure as Mayor of Ayia Napa, among the first things I mention is the MUSAN Underwater Museum that we are inaugurating today," said G. Karousos. He described it as the "jewel of the Mediterranean" which offers the visitor an unparalleled experience that demonstrates man's relationship with nature, the environment and the seabed.
Referring to the museum's history, G. Karusos said it was part of the transformation of Ayia Napa into a city of experience, parks, monuments and reference points. "In this strategy it was necessary to create underwater reference points in order to develop diving tourism as well. Through this vision and strategy, the proposal was submitted in 2014 to the City Council for the creation of a unique underwater reference point, the underwater sculpture park, and in 2017, accompanied by the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research, we began the maturation of the project, which we signed in the summer of 2019 and began its implementation. I'm sure every visitor to the underwater park, on their way home, will take some Ayia Napa with them," he said.
For his part, the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Costas Kadis, noted that Jason deKer Taylor's artistic interventions change the perspective through which we view environmental issues and remind us that man can coexist harmoniously with the marine environment. He also said that there are many possibilities and challenges. "The Municipality of Ayia Napa and the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research will continue to work responsibly for the effective management of the underwater museum, which will add to the value of Cyprus at the tourist and cultural level".
MUSAN is a landmark for the tourist product and the promotion of the marine environment of Cyprus, since it is a unique experience, combining the marine natural environment and art in a way that impresses.
In his greeting, Deputy Minister of Tourism Savvas Perdios stated that diving tourism is a priority product of the National Tourism Strategy 2030. This is a momentous area for the destination of Cyprus, which can make a substantial contribution to attracting a specialized tourist current and not. "MUSAN complements the offered product of Cyprus in a unique way that we consider to be fully understood today by all. That is why we are currently hosting 30 distinguished journalists in the field from priority markets, offering them a unique hosting program, which we are sure will impress them."
The evening was presented by officials of the organizations, Giorgos Payatas from the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research and Melina Giorgis from the Municipality of Ayia Napa.
