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Greek philosopher Plato wrote of the legendary city
of Atlantis, that sunk to the bottom of the ocean.
Now photographer Andreas Franke has created a similar mythical
underwater world for a new exhibition - but you can only see it with
your scuba gear on.
Armed with his camera, Mr Franke dove down to the Vandenberg, a United
States missile tracking ship that sunk in 2009 off the coast of Key
West, Florida, and used the spectacular images he took as a canvas for a
surreal civilisation that never existed.
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The collection of photographs capture people going about their daily
lives, whether ballerinas en barre, young lovers at the cinema, a
patient being wheeled along by a nurse, or young children playing.
But the ordinary scenes become extraordinary when they are superimposed
over different parts of the eery sunken ship, with its barnacled
interiors and expansive decks swarming with fish.
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The ballerinas rest their points on one of the wreck's many railings
while instead of catching butterflies, a young girl catches fish with
her net.
The fascinating scenes are on display in an exhibition called 'The
Vandenberg: Life Below the Surface' but you won't find them in an
orthodox gallery.
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Naturally, the images are gracing the walls aboard the sunken vessel,
seven miles off the coast of Florida. Divers can access them by boat
from Key West.
Under the sea, the art is encased between sheets of Plexiglas with a
stainless steel frame and a silicone seal keeps the water out. Strong
magnets ensure the images stay attached to the walls and do not damage
the piece of American Naval history.
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Mr Franke says the photographs show 'mystified scenes of the past that
play in a fictional space.'
'They are dreamworlds where you can get lost or that you can identify
with. This makes a new and unexpected atmosphere.'
So don your diving gear and witness the residents of this curious
underwater world in their native habitat, 145 feet under the sea.
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