Jason deCaires Taylor: Ocean Gaia (2025)
Installed on the 14th of October 2025, Ocean Gaia is a monumental underwater sculpture resting 5 metres beneath the surface off the island of Tokunoshima, Japan. Weighing over 45 tons and spanning 5.5 metres in width, the work features a serene large-scale portrait of the renowned Japanese model Kiko Mizuhara. It is the first underwater sculpture ever installed in Japan. Set close to shore and embedded within the fringing reef, the sculpture is perforated with openings around its edges to invite marine life inside, transforming it into both artwork and habitat. Its gently swirling contours echo the intricate sand circles crafted by the Japanese white-spotted pufferfish (Torquigener albomaculosus), native to these waters and the rising peaks and valleys of the nearby mountain range. Tokunoshima, known for its healthy lifestyle, high birthrate, and remarkable number of centenarians, forms a fitting setting. Along its spine, a mountain range rises in the silhouette of a pregnant woman. Ocean Gaia stands as both a symbol of renewal and a gesture toward reconnection between people, the sea, and the continuity of life itself.
