In the Studio with Jason DeCaires Taylor
Recording an artist’s extraordinary underwater sculptures in the Atlantic Ocean.
Client
BBC World Service
Format
Radio documentary
Scope
Episode of In the Studio, the BBC World Service series exploring creative processes
Tandem Role
Editorial development, production and delivery
The Idea
British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor creates large-scale artworks beneath the sea – sculptures that gradually become living reefs as marine life colonises their surfaces.
Tandem pitched the idea of an episode of In the Studio exploring Jason’s creative process and the extraordinary environments in which his work exists.
Presenter Miranda Krestovnikoff joined Jason in Lanzarote to explore both his studio practice and the underwater sculptures he has installed in the Atlantic Ocean.
Tandem’s Approach
Capturing the story required recording in a range of challenging environments, from conversations in the artist’s studio to location recordings beneath the sea itself.
Working with a specialist underwater audio engineer, the Tandem team recorded the sounds and atmosphere surrounding Jason’s submerged sculptures, alongside interviews conducted while swimming through the installations.
Additional recordings were made on land and remotely, before the programme was carefully edited and mixed to create an immersive portrait of the artist’s work.
Why It Works
The programme allows listeners to experience the sculptures not only as visual objects but as part of a living underwater environment.
By combining interviews, location recordings and atmospheric sound design, the documentary captures both the artistic vision behind the sculptures and the remarkable ecosystems they create beneath the water.
Impact
The programme was broadcast globally on the BBC World Service as part of the In the Studio documentary strand.
“Beautifully mixed. The underwater recording is absolutely fantastic and the music is widescreen and atmospheric… a fascinating programme.”
– Simon Pitts, Commissioning Editor, BBC World Service