Andoni Bastarrika from Basque Country, Spain is probably one of the most unique artists you’ve ever seen. What’s unique about him, is that he uses sand to express his creativity and create works of art. No, we’re not talking about sand castles, Andoni creates magnificent sand sculptures that will leave you speechless. His work is focused on creatures of the natural world, and his sculptures are so realistic, some might think they’re alive.
Andoni created his first sand sculpture in 2010, when he was at the beach with his 2 daughters. He made the little mermaid and he fell in love with the texture of the sand.
“The sand fascinates me because no matter how you look at it, it will always teach you things if you are willing to learn. In order to create a sculpture, an unthinkable number of sand particles participate, hugging each other tightly through humidity, so that someone could model their union. And once the artist steps back, its piece will remain at the mercy of nature, meaning that sooner or later the wind will dry them up and release each particle, slowly consuming all the individuality and authenticity. To create a beautiful world, we should all embrace each other just as tightly. There’s the nudity they bring with themselves to this world at birth, which they keep until their death. That nudity—at least to me—symbolizes freedom, the essential ingredient to being able to truly live. Humans ‘overdress’ to survive in a lot of ways. I have never made nor will I make an animal with a necklace or chains. I prefer to embrace their freedom, power, and wisdom through beauty rather than a form of suffering,” says Andoni.
Andoni starts by piling up moist sand and shaping it. Then he uses a sharpened stick and a feather to emphasize the expression. He sometimes uses clay powder, coal powder, ashes and glass shards to add the realism to his work.
Take a look at Andoni’s masterpieces!
