Underwater Museum of Art reveals new sculpture designs

[Teresa]

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Seven New Sculpture Designs Revealed For 5th Underwater Museum of Art Installation​

The Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County (CAA) and South Walton Artificial Reef Association (SWARA) are proud to reveal the seven new sculpture designs, chosen by jury for permanent exhibition in the fifth installation of the Underwater Museum of Art (UMA). The 2023 installation will include the following pieces of sculpture: Quantum Reef by Chris Chubb (Tallahassee, FL), Space Nest by Frank Henderson (Evanston, IL), Welcome Home by Zachery Long (Oklahoma City, OK), Madam Nature by Andrew Luy (Huntsville, AL), Cetacean Remains by Pat Mclain (Stone Mountain, GA), One Tree by Ann Moeller Steverson (Huntsville, AL) Opus by Allison Wickey (Santa Rosa Beach, FL). Deployment of the 2023 UMA installation is slated for Summer 2023. Visit UMAFL.org for more information on timeline and events surrounding UMA’s launch as the date gets closer. Project and sculpture sponsorships are available. Please contact Gabby Callaway for sponsorship details. Read the full announcement and view the 2023 gallery on the UMA website.

Learn more at umafl.org




OPUS is one of the new sculptures to be installed at the UMA for Santa Rosa Beach, Florida-based artist Allison Wickey who is also a founding partner of the project.

The octopus is the ultimate mystery, embodying all that the sea symbolizes in one creature. Not only are they intriguing, but they are also elegant and mesmerizing to watch. They are known to 'play' with other species, walk on two legs and befriend humans. Although they have been portrayed as scary or dangerous they are actually peacemakers in her opinion. They seem to have a silly sense of humor while also being highly intelligent and can change itself via color or shape to work its way out of bad situations. The combination of beauty, brilliance and resilience is an enviable trait and the octopus has it all.

Allison thinks the octopus is a good symbol for the times, as we learn to work our way out of new and strange issues in current society while retaining a sense of humor.

 

[Teresa]

The Underwater Museum of Art is the first permanent underwater sculpture garden in the U.S.

Located in the Gulf of Mexico, off of Walton County, Florida. The museum lies at a depth of 58-feet and at a distance of .93-miles from the shore of Grayton Beach State Park. Each year, a juried selection of sculptural works, drawn from artists throughout the world, is installed in the underwater garden.