Shropshire Duo's Ocean Statue Sinks to Spotlight Climate Change

Jane Cullen and Lorna Taylor, two women from Shropshire, are working together to raise ten thousand pounds for a special project. Their goal is to install a unique sculpture in the Solomon Islands to help people understand the effects of climate change and rising sea levels. The sculpture, which has already been created and shipped to the Pacific, features a shiny metal tree without leaves and a person leaning against it. It will be placed in the ocean, where it will stand partly underwater to show how the sea is rising.

The idea for this project came after Jane and Lorna listened to a talk by Gladys Bartlett, an activist who spoke about an island that had already disappeared under the sea. This story made a big impact on them, and they decided they wanted to do something to raise awareness about climate change. Both women are members of Shropshire Climate Action, a group that works to help the environment. Jane said they wanted to support the idea that everyone is affected by climate change, no matter where they live. Lorna explained that hearing Gladys speak was a wake-up call for both of them. They also saw images of an island that had been lost to the rising water, which made them even more determined to help.

The sea around the Solomon Islands is rising because of global warming and changes in the region. Several islands have already disappeared beneath the South Pacific. Gladys contacted Jason deCaires Taylor, a sculptor who is known for making underwater art. He created a four-meter-tall sculpture of Gladys leaning against a tree on a concrete base. The plan is to place the sculpture in the ocean, where it will stand above the waves at first. Over time, as the sea level rises, the statue will slowly become submerged. By 2046, it is expected that the figure will be completely underwater. Jane said this project is different from just talking about statistics because it uses art to show what is happening. She believes it is important to act now, especially since climate change is causing extreme weather and flooding even in Shropshire. The money they raise will be used to pay for a barge to take the sculpture to the right spot and to assemble it in the water.