When we think of sand sculptures, castles likely first come to mind. But you can do a lot more with sand than construct tiny buildings; artist Andoni Bastarrika is proof of it. He creates realistic animal portraits that are so lifelike you'll do a double-take when you see them. To create the illusion, Bastarrika tightly packs the sand to create a blank canvas for textures like fur and wrinkles. He adds to the realism with stone powders that color the sand as well as other materials as necessary. The resulting animals appear to be laying on the ground with an ocean view behind them.
Bastarrika realized he had a gift for this unique type of sculpture in the summer of 2010 after playing with his daughters on the beach. “From that moment I knew clearly inside that I had to follow this path,” he tells My Modern Met. “I practiced for two years in seasons like autumn, winter, and early spring when the beaches were empty.” After that time, he felt ready to share his talents with others.
There is a reason that Bastarrika prefers to sculpt subjects that are “nude,” which includes animals. “As in nature itself,” he explains, “nothing is straight, everything is round, everything is fluid, everything is created in a spiral. And therefore to model naked bodies I didn't need metal tools like spatulas. I was able to model it simply with my hands, thanks to the high sensitivity I have in them. And then after looking for and achieving the expression with my hands, is when I began to use bird feathers and a pointed stick to delve into the details.”
Bastarrika has a deep interest in evoking the spirit of his subjects that then find a connection with the viewer. “I am fascinated that people can confuse sculptures made simply with sand and water as if they were real,” he says. “The sculptures that I make have life, they have a soul, it is the same soul that Mother Earth has. My sculptures speak for her and for all the animals that are the most connected to Mother Earth. For this, I focus on the wisdom, strength, and beauty that nature transmits.”
Scroll down to see Bastarrika’s amazing work and follow him on Instagram to see what he’s working on next.
Artist Andoni Bastarrika creates realistic animal sculptures made of sand that are so lifelike you'll do a double-take when you see them.
To create the illusion, Bastarrika tightly packs the sand to create a blank canvas for textures like fur and wrinkles.
He adds to the realism with stone powders that color the sand as well as other materials as necessary.
The resulting animals appear to be laying on the ground with an ocean view behind them.
“The sculptures that I make have life, they have a soul, it is the same soul that Mother Earth has,” Bastarrika tells My Modern Met.
“My sculptures speak for her and for all the animals that are the most connected to Mother Earth.”
Andoni Bastarrika: Facebook | Instagram
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Andoni Bastarrika.
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