PHOTOS: Sergio Betancort
The contract for the realization of the Atlantic Museum Lanzarote: Biosphere, Art and Nature is already signed and the center will become a reality "in less than two years", according to the Cabildo. However, this signature has occurred before the "submission of the project to the General Sub-directorate of Maritime Terrestrial Public Domain", the body dependent on Coasts that must approve the project. This has been confirmed by the Island Corporation itself, which states that the shipment "will be effective in the coming days" to request permission.
The signing of the contract took place on the morning of this Wednesday on the esplanade of the Castillo de Las Coloradas in Playa Blanca, and was attended by the president of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, Pedro San Ginés, the CEO of the Art, Culture and Tourism Centers of the Cabildo, José Juan Lorenzo, and the British eco-sculptor Jason DeCaires Taylor, whose sculptures will be the protagonists of the museum, which will require a public investment of 700,000 euros.
Until the museum is completed, a stage now opens in which the artist will be able to focus on the technical execution of the project, which will house about 300 of his works.
The British artist explained that he chose Lanzarote "because people are in love with art and nature" and that he opted for that location on the south coast of the island "because it is sheltered from the strong marine currents that lash the north coast, due to the almost flat profile of the marine substrate and the absence of animal or plant species." In addition, DeCaires stressed that "there is no private business promoter behind the project" and pointed out that his work aims to be "a gateway to the Atlantic, a place to learn about the sea and facilitate knowledge about marine life so that people have more love for the planet."
"An extraordinary promotional element"
For his part, the president of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, Pedro San Ginés, pointed out that the work "will be an extraordinary promotional element, which will benefit the centers and diving clubs of the island and will highlight the underwater platform of the island from the Chinijo archipelago to La Bocaina."
San Ginés has highlighted that "DeCaires has just received an award in Washington that distinguishes him as one of the 100 personalities who have shaken the world during the last year at the hands of the US Secretary of State, John Kerry." Regarding the economic management of the work, San Ginés specified that "the Museum will have a short economic return" and assured that "the direct beneficiaries of the installation will be the Art, Culture and Tourism Centers of the Cabildo de Lanzarote."
The head of these Centers, José Juan Lorenzo, explained that "the Museum will have the vocation of being a door in the sea so that the general public has an excuse to learn about the seabed of the island."
Controversial project
On October 31, the Board of Directors of the Art, Culture and Tourism Centers of the Cabildo de Lanzarote gave the green light to the financing of the Atlantic Museum Lanzarote: Biosphere, Art and Nature and, at the same time, authorized the CEO of the Entity, José Juan Lorenzo, to sign the corresponding contract. The decision aroused criticism from various political formations, which, among other things, questioned the signing of the contract for a project that did not have a Coastal permit.
Alternativa Ciudadana then denounced that rehabilitation and use projects of other centers have "come to nothing", while "the Government group of the Cabildo de Lanzarote" perverted "the spirit of the network of Centers" to "favor a few against the general interest of Lanzarote", in reference to the owners of the nearby Marina Rubicón sports port.
For its part, the Popular Party stated at that time that it considered "a scandal" that the Cabildo was considering "investing 700,000 euros" in a project that did not have "the relevant authorizations", so they assured that it did not have "full guarantees to be able to execute it."
The Atlantic Museum Lanzarote intends to extend over an area of approximately 400 square meters, in which sculptural sets made with materials that "do not cause damage to the seabed, flora or fauna of the surrounding environment" will be installed, explain from the Cabildo. The sculptures will be submerged to a depth of no less than 12 meters or more than 15, which will allow the museum to be visited by divers of all levels and that, on certain days, it can be visible from the surface. The Cabildo has also reported that 2% of the income generated by the museum "will be used for research and dissemination of the richness of the species and the seabed of the island."
