Set to be submerged off the coast of France this fall, three aquatic sculpture projects are expected make the process of social distancing at in-person museums much easier. Showcasing three sculptures by renowned artist Marc Petit, the collection of ten are currently located in the Mediterranean Sea, at the foot of the Isolella Tower near Ajaccio, a town on the French island of Corsica.
Curated as a gift for the city museum, Palais Fesch, by esteemed art collector Francois Ollandini, the collection which will include an additional 18 commissioned sculptures from Marc Petit, is expected to span the entire northern Ajaccio coast’s fishing and sailing-free spaces. The underwater exhibition’s most notable pieces include, a sculpture of goddess Gaia which lies in the water surrounding Lazaret Ollandini – the collector’s home and private museum dedicated to Petit’s work.
Other Francois Ollandini projects include sculpture contributions to Marseille’s Musée Subaquatique snorkeling attraction, which features ten unique pieces by a variety of artists, installed 16 feet under the waters of city centre beach, Les Catalans, and a submarine display located south of Sainte Marguerite in the Bay of Cannes. Curated and conceptualised by British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor, this underwater sculpture garden scheduled to open by early November, will include a selection of six sculptures based on casts from faces of local volunteers and will be placed just 13 feet below the surface so art enthusiasts can catch a glimpse without the need of scuba equipment.