Far from the cold corridors of the Spanish Institute of Fine Arts, Andoni Bastarrika made his way to become the experienced street artist that he is today. It was by accident that he discovered what his mission in life was: to unite people through art and imagination. But even so, after 10 years of creating the most surprising and realistic sand sculptures, according to Bastarrika himself, he is still “discovering what his hands can do, because it is the sand that dictates the form he wants to adopt.”
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#1
Andoni started using the sand in the summer of 2010, while she was on the beach with her 2 daughters. The 1st sculpture he made was a little mermaid, and working with her, he discovered his “gift”, the fluidity of his hands. “My hands knew what they were doing. I dedicated myself to developing this gift and I have spent the last 10 years doing exactly that.
#2
Sand fascinates me because no matter how you look at it, it always teaches you things if you are willing to learn. To create a sculpture, you need an unthinkable number of sand particles, well joined through moisture, for someone to shape their union And once the artist moves away, the work is at the mercy of nature, which means that sooner or later the wind will dry them up and free each particle, slowly consuming individuality and authenticity.
#3
According to Andoni, although there are a thousand reasons why sand attracts him, this is the main one. In fact, he believes that humans should act in such away. To create a beautiful world, we should all embrace each other, be that united.
There are many reasons why I like to make animal sculptures, but one of them is that they are free spirits. Humans could reflect and learn from them.
#4
Then there is their nakedness, which they maintain from birth until they die. This to me symbolizes freedom, an essential ingredient to be able to really live. Humans” dress too much “to survive in many ways. I have never created, nor will I, an animal with a collar or chains. I prefer to accept its freedom, its power, and wisdom through the beauty and not a form of suffering.
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