Underwater art

• Sustainable marine tourism is the game-changer Sri Lanka needs​​

By Chamali Fernando

COVID-19 is another chapter in the decline of Sri Lankan tourism. One dynamic artist from Ambalangoda believes marine tourism is the much-needed game-changer to revive Sri Lanka’s tourist industry. 

Janaka De Silva of the Galle Fort Art Gallery is the curator of Sri Lanka’s first Underwater Art Gallery project, not to be confused with the Underwater Museum. The museum is located off the Galle coast, only accessible by scuba divers and home to statues built by skilled masons from the Navy. However, the underwater art galleries will be accessible by glass-bottomed boat rides, snorkelers as well as divers and are designed for people of all ages and abilities. 

The illustration shows the proposed installation at Unawatuna. This particular site features the theme of Border Crossing and Migration. It is designed by Chamila Gamage, one of the artists for the Underwater Gallery LK. Chamila is known for exploring themes of social-history, culture and religion. 

The art galleries will creatively engage visitors in ocean conservation. By using pH neutral cement, which is ideal for propagating coral, the art is designed to evolve with nature and help to restore Sri Lanka’s coral reefs that were decimated by the 2004 tsunami. The galleries present a sustainable avenue for marine tourism creating local jobs whilst protecting Sri Lanka’s precious ocean for future generations. 

In the middle of a pandemic, within 35 days, off the coast of Unawatuna, Chamila’s first installation in his art exhibition attracted well over 1,000 local divers, generating new revenue for diving schools. 

Sri Lanka already has 57 diving schools dotted around the island and the rich marine biodiversity makes it an attractive place to dive all year round. As the tide changers, divers simply head to a different part of the island for diving. Sri Lanka should encourage foreign divers to visit the island. 

Marine tourism is a vastly underexplored market in Sri Lanka, largely because there is so much to see and do on-land: from wildlife, to UNESCO world-heritage sites, temples and the stunning the hill country, to name just a few. The delicious food and warmth of the people are just two reasons why foreigners become repeat visitors to the island. Creating living works of art under the sea could bring in a new breed of repeat tourism. As such monitoring and maintenance of the sculptures once installed will also be important and create a new workstreams that seek to protect Sri Lanka’s marine environment. 

Janaka came up with the idea for an underwater art gallery in Sri Lanka having seen the work of British Sculpturist Jason Taylor whilst on holiday in Indonesia. Marine tourism in Indonesia brings $ 1 billion. Pre-Easter Sunday attacks, tourism in Sri Lanka stood at approximately 11% of GDP. 

The proposed installation at Unawatuna

Sri Lanka’s coral beds were decimated by the tsunami of 2004. Underwater Gallery LK has ministerial permission for eight feasibility studies around the island identifying the best areas to install art exhibitions that will encourage coral regrowth. Ocean Sri Lanka has teamed up with Underwater Gallery LK to investigate the different sites. The Shangri-La Group’s corporate social responsibility arm has offered the assistance of coral growing technicians to join the mission to re-grow coral. 

It is not just the locals who will be interested in diving. Foreigners living in landlocked countries or places where diving is not possible due to adverse sea conditions, will be eager to visit. Post-pandemic, refresher diving courses will be hugely popular. 

Nicky Deeley is one such foreigner. Nicky is a member of the UK Diving Club and travels the world to scuba dive shipwrecks and coral reefs. “The notion of going into the sea to marvel at art and to learn about a country’s history and culture through diving combines the best of both worlds for me. I visited Sri Lanka 20 years ago for a friend’s wedding, I did not even know you could safely dive in the sea there. Having met Janaka and Shalini online via Zoom, Sri Lanka is No. 1 on my travel list again and they have inspired me to help people in my very rural part of England learn about Sri Lanka.”

Janaka has employed artists and woodcraftsmen to help with the project, who might otherwise be without work. This exciting project ticks all three boxes of sustainability, mobility and opportunity and has brought together communities and professionals with different skill sets, including structural engineers, divers, artists and marine scientists and ocean conservationists. Tidal patterns are critical to determining timing of placing sculptures at different sites and to ensure coral has the best chance of formation.

Nicky runs Limes Farm in Farthinghoe, England [www.limesfarm.com] around three miles north of the Oxfordshire border. The farm has been in Nicky’s family for well over 200 years. This summer, Limes Farm is running a series of treasure hunts for young children themed around the Indian Ocean and Sri Lanka, to help children in rural England learn about the magnificent sea creatures that inhabit the warm tropical waters, such as spinner dolphins and Blue Whales. Before taking over the farm from my father, Nicky worked and trained in food technology and is passionate about ensuring full food traceability with the products they sell at Limes Farm.

This summer, on the farm, recycled materials were used to create artistic installations, themed around Sri Lanka. Shimmering seahorses guided intrepid young explorers on a trail to learn about blue guppies and Sri Lanka’s native cherry barb fish. 

From empty milk cartons transformed into friendly-looking whales, chicken wire used to make the giant tail of a blue whale, and umbrellas remodelled with tentacles resembling the dangerous jelly fish lurking along coast during off-season, the gang at Limes Farm has designed fun installations for children to learn and explore Sri Lankan marine life. £ 1 from every treasure trail map sold will be going to the Underwater Gallery LK. The Sri Lankan Tourist Board has also donated beautifully handcrafted sea turtle key tags carved from coconut shells for each of the treasure hunters.

Surprisingly, the project has had greater traction from foreigners, eager to visit Sri Lanka and explore the beautiful Indian Ocean. 

Having heard about the Underwater Art Gallery initiative through a friend, I reached out to Janaka De Silva for him to give a talk via Zoom to the UK Friends of Sri Lanka Association (FoSLA). In my spare time, I co-ordinate the events for FoSLA. Our members were all a buzz when they learnt about this fabulous fun project, with offers from members to donate time and money, to help teach open-water swimming. 

However, restrictions on funds coming into Sri Lanka from foreign bank accounts is the latest hurdle that Janaka needs to navigate – a strange one because the island is calling for foreign deposits to be made into Sri Lankan bank accounts! 

 (The writer is Barrister and Environmental Policy Advisor to the ICE Coalition.)