Filipino artist creates stunning sand murals along Dubai beach Upmarket galleries in DIFCand large swathes of Al Quoz are the traditional locations to find cutting-edge artwork in Dubai. However, Filipino artist Nathaniel Alapide would struggle to fit his artwork into a gallery. If you’ve recently taken an early morning stroll along the Dubai seafront near the BurjAl Arab, you might well have seen some of Nathaniel’s sand art, or caught the tail end of it, before it is swallowed up by the tide. By day Nathaniel works at Atlantis, diving in the expansive aquarium and looking after its inhabitants. But that is often after he has spent a good three to four hours as the sun comes up crafting his sand murals. He is often inspired by the creatures he looks after. “For me it is a like a form of meditation,” he says. Nathaniel, who is also a painter and sculptor, dedicates up to four hours to create works such as the Eagle Cityscape (main image), and when they only last for just over an hour, it has to be a labour of love. Recently, one piece had a very emotional meaning for Nathaniel: “I made a tree that was 50m wide and 40m long. My grandmother passed away last year, God bless her soul. To me she was like a tree that gave us shade. I made that tree in her memory.” Nathaniel is now seeking sponsorship to travel the UAE and create sand art representing each emirate. See his work at talenthouse/nathaniel-alapide tonight from 7pm-9pm. See techforum.ae or call 04 501 5393/5374.
Posted on: Wed, 17 Sep 2014 09:31:08 +0000
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