Om kunstverket

Skulpturene er laget av undervannskulptør Jason deCaires Taylor, kjent for å skape unike verk som utforsker miljøspørsmål og klimaendringer. Hestene er en del av kunstutstillingen "The Rising Tide" som kombinerer maskiner for oljeutvinning med pensjonerte arbeidshester - et bilde på menneskehetens vedvarende behov for fossil energi og de potensielle konsekvensene av klimaendringer. Skulpturene ble opprinnelig plassert ved Themsen, men på initiativ fra Slettaa Dykkerklubb ble de fraktet til Haugesund og satt opp i Kvalsvik.

The Rising Tide: The Firing and Misfiring of Human Powers

by Linda Weintraub

The Rising Tide by Jason deCaires Taylor draws on the resemblance between a horse head and a crude oil extraction pump, evoking two symbols of human power. Both horses and pumps have long, pendulum-like necks that end in an ovoid head, inspiring slang terms such as ‘nodding donkey,’ ‘oil horse,’ and ‘pumpjack.’ This similarity highlights the ironic transformation of a natural structure, meant for grazing, into a machine for extracting crude oil. Taylor’s sculpture reinforces this irony by positioning four horses as stationary figures, mimicking the posture of oil pumps, suggesting the parallel movement of muscles and pistons.

Over the last 12,000 years, humanity has harnessed increasing amounts of power to extend its influence. Horses provided superhuman strength and stamina, while fossil fuels, tapped from deep underground, greatly expanded humanity’s ability to manipulate the planet’s resources. Taylor contrasts the elegance of horsepower with the crude force of fossil fuel extraction, calling for restraint in humanity’s use of power.

The Rising Tide also juxtaposes human might with natural forces beyond human control, such as tides and storms. These sculptures are subjected to the rhythmic rise and fall of tides, symbolizing both natural cycles and the threat of rising sea levels due to climate change.

Two of the horses are ridden by men in business suits with closed eyes, representing the complacency of consumers, industrial greed, and political hubris. This depiction suggests a grim forecast, echoing the biblical imagery of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, each symbolizing a different catastrophe. The work warns of rising oceans, global warming, massive displacement, and species extinctions.

However, hope is depicted through the two younger riders on the other horses. Their flexible, alert postures suggest an awakened ecological consciousness and a potential shift towards environmental stewardship and an appreciation of the planet’s fragility.

The Rising Tide is a powerful symbol of humanity's uncertain future.

Originally exhibited on the Thames River in London near Tate Britain and the Houses of Parliament, these sculptures were relocated to Haugesund in 2021.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_deCaires_Taylor

https://underwatersculpture.com/projects/the-rising-tide-haugesund/