Just off the coast of Sanibel and Captiva, the third step
in creating the art project of Andreas Franke has begun, currently accessible
only to underwater enthusiasts.
Austrian-born artist Franke has been in the advertising
business for more than 20 years. He has worked for brands like Ben & Jerry’s,
Coco-Cola, Ford, General Electric, Gillette, Heineken, Nike, Visa and Wrigley’s.
His still-life images and surreal effects are famous. In his photographs, every
little detail is planned precisely; there is no space left for fortuity. Franke
is a traveler. He travels the world and between the worlds. His job frequently
leads him to several countries on several continents; so does his passion for
scuba diving. In his pictures, Franke crosses the borders between fantasy and
real life.
His first underwater art exhibit began with photographing
the decks of the USNS General Hoyt S.
Vandenberg, sunk seven miles off the coast of Key West in 2009. After that
project, he became absorbed in the haunting enchantment of the ship. Franke
with surreal visitors: 1950s teens waiting in line for movie tickets on the
ship’s upper deck and a workman looking up from his lunch pain while stead on a
cross/beam. The completed pieces were encased between panes of Plexiglas,
placed in stainless steel frames, sealed with silicone to reduce marine
exposure and hung by enormous magnets along the ship. It was a subtle process
with great care taken not to disturb the ecological balance of the marine life
around and not to damage the Vandenberg.
Undersea growth began to adhere to the work and it became a living piece of
art.
After a second installation on the SS Stravronikita, Franke chose the
USS Mohawk as his third underwater project. Between now and September 14,
scuba divers have the opportunity to witness nature working putting the final
touches on Franke’s creations. The best place to see art and nature working
together is by viewing the images on location; the backdrop of the historic
icon and the special lighting can only be found under water.
“With my photographs of sunken shipwrecks, I want to pull
the spectators into unreal and strange worlds. Mystified scenes of the past
play within a fictional space. Dreamworlds you can get lost in or that you can
identify with. This creates a new and unexpected atmosphere. This work shows
very much of myself, since I am always on the lookout for stunning themes to
create new images never been seen before,” said Franke.
On Friday, October 4, the public (including land-lubbers)
will have the opportunity to view The
Sinking World at the Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Boulevard in
Fort Myers.
One year after it was sunk, the 165-foot World War II
warship USS Mohawk is now a living
reef, thriving with exotic marine life. Scuba divers can view Franke’s images
underwater with Scubavice Dive Center, which makes weekly trips to the Mohawk. It is located at 12600 McGregor
Boulevard in Fort Myers. Call 481-4733 or go to www.scubavicedivers.com for a
schedule of dive trips, to rent scuba equipment and/or to receive an Open Water
certification in time to see Franke’s artwork in its natural environment.
Island Sun (June 14, 2013)
Visit the website for more information http://www.thesinkingworld.com/
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