this fall, american artist and filmmaker doug aitken plans to install three temporary subaquatic sculptures off the coast of southern california. on catalina island — 22 miles from los angeles — ‘underwater pavilions’ will be submerged beneath the ocean’s surface, allowing swimmers, snorkelers, and scuba divers to swim through and experience the artwork. these geometric spaces blend art and science — while they are built from carefully researched materials and moored to the ocean floor, aspects of each sculpture are mirrored to reflect the seascape and create a kaleidoscopic observatory for the viewer.

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digital rendering by doug aitken workshop/parley for the oceans/MOCA | image by conner macpheea

 

 

doug aitken’s ‘underwater pavilions’ are produced by parley for the oceans and presented in partnership with the museum of contemporary art (MOCA) in los angeles in tandem with ‘electric earth’ — a major survey of his work. the sculptures operate as an observatory for subaquatic life, creating a variety of perceptual encounters, and act as a vessel to experience the ocean’s ecosystem. continuously evolving due to the natural and manmade conditions of the sea, the temporary pavilions are both aesthetic and scientific: they put the local marine environment and the ocean conservation challenges in dialogue with art, inviting viewers to experience their own contemporary narrative of the ocean and participate in its protection.

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the sculptures operate as an observatory for subaquatic life, creating a variety of perceptual encounters

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